


𝕋𝕖𝕒𝕞 𝟟; 𝔻𝕒𝕟𝕘𝕖𝕣𝕠𝕦𝕤 𝕎𝕖𝕒𝕡𝕠𝕟𝕤

by Magica2007



Category: Naruto
Genre: Gen, Hatake Kakashi is a Good Teacher
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-23
Updated: 2020-04-23
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:54:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 30
Words: 34,828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23811160
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Magica2007/pseuds/Magica2007
Summary: - α иαяυтσ fαиfι¢тισи -Naruto was hated. Sasuke was abandoned. Sakura was tortured.Really, Team 7 wasn't what they looked like they were.Kakashi Hatake, otherwise known as the famed Copy Ninja, had never passed a team before Team 7. He didn't like children, but he knew that he was the best teacher - sensei - to teach these kids on the rough life of shinobi.And he found the team he was going to tortu - ahem, teach.- ∂ιѕ¢ℓαιмєя -I do not own Naruto, or any of the Naruto characters. Naruto and its characters are owned by Masashi Kishimoto. This story was written based on a timeline written by Kishimoto.I also got inspiration from the wonderful book; Dangerous Bond written by the wonderful CailinAnneBritz!Photos used are not owned by me.Started: 09/04/2020Finished: N/AAlso going to be cross-posting it on the following platforms under the same:TumblrFanfiction.NetAO3Quotev© Magica2007
Relationships: Dai-nana-han | Team 7 & Hatake Kakashi
Comments: 7
Kudos: 89





	1. Pɾσʅσɠυҽ - Pαιɳ

"Who, except the gods, can live time through forever without any pain?"

\- Aeschylus 

◾◽◾◽◾◽

The small blond boy was running as fast as his small legs could take him. There were crowds of people running after him, each of them equipped with sharp objects.

"Ah...crap!" The boy hissed as a knife lodged itself in his left calf.

[Kit, you have to find somewhere to hide so I can heal you.] A soothing but concerned voice echoed in the boy's head.

The boy groaned, turning to his right to enter an alleyway. [Sorry, Kurama. I can't find anywhere!]

The fox growled inside of the boy's head. [Naruto Uzumaki, I'm telling you to find anywhere or else you might die!]

Naruto let out a dry chuckle, ripping a bit of his shirt off to stop the bleeding in his leg. [Don't tell me you feel worried for me!]

[In your dreams.] The Tailed-Beast scoffed.

Naruto sighed, flipping behind a tall piece of metal and dragged another piece behind him to cover up his hiding spot. [I wish I was dreaming.]

The nine-tailed fox sighed in sympathy as he started to heal the poor boy, who was slipping between sleep and staying conscious.

"I'm just gonna...y'know...sleep..." Naruto whispered, his eyelids closing over his bright blue orbs.

[Rest, Kit. I'll take care of you.]

◾◽◾◽◾◽

"Damn it." Sasuke Uchiha growled, glaring at the single kunai knife which didn't hit the bullseye. It was close, but not quite.

He would never be able to defeat his brother like this. Itachi could do this blindfolded at the age of eight! And Sasuke was already twelve. He was too behind. He needed to speed up his training if he wanted to be able to surpass Itachi.

Thunk.

Bullseye.

Thunk.

Bullseye.

Thunk.

Bullseye.

Thunk.

Not a bullseye.

"Damn it!" Sasuke cursed again, roughly grabbing the kunai out of the target. He had to get this done before going home.

The raven-haired boy shuddered. Home.

Home was nothing now. It was always cold, isolated, empty, and just...not home. 

Shaking his head, the sole survivor of the Uchiha clan turned back to his kunai knives. He had to get all of them in the bullseye. Oh, and also nail that fireball jutsu.

Sasuke sighed. Today's training was going to drag into tomorrow.

◾◽◾◽◾◽

"Ungrateful little bitch!"

A pink-haired girl, who looked absolutely model-worthy, was cowering under a table as a man stumbled into the room, obviously drunk.

For heaven's sake, why am I hiding? I want to be a ninja! Ninjas face their problems!

She was about to come out when she heard glass shatter. Okay. Maybe not. She didn't want new scars, she was already running out of makeup to cover them up!

"SAKURA HARUNO! GET YOUR LAZY FAT ASS OUT HERE TO CLEAN THIS UP, BITCH!"

Sakura was too afraid. She was shaking. She didn't want to go through another beating by her uncle, but of course, he was drunk. And being abused while he was drunk was worse.

Just do this, Sakura. Cha!

Shakily coming up from under the table, Sakura rushed to get a dustpan and brush to clear the floor of glass shards.

"There you are..." A breath filled with alcohol was right next to Sakura's face. She gulped. "Hurry up and get this cleaned!"

"H-hai!" Sakura stuttered, instantly tending to the mess on the floor.

I hate him. I hate him!

Sakura took in a deep breath. 

One more day, before I graduate. One. More. Day.

◾◽◾◽◾◽

Author's Note

Did you like it so far? I think it was a bit too dark...but this story is probably going to have a dark theme through it...whatever.

Please vote and comment!

~ Magica2007


	2. Cԋαρƚҽɾ Oɳҽ - Kαƙαʂԋι

"How much pain they have cost us, the evils which have never happened."

\- Thomas Jefferson

◾◽◾◽◾◽

Kakashi Hatake was walking down the street, reading his book. How A Shinobi Should Die. Really, it was a book full of crap.

But he just wanted to pass time. And this book reminded him of Rin, Obito, Minato, Kushina and his father, Sakumo.

No doubt the Hokage would kill him if he was to read Icha Icha Paradise on the way to pick up his genin team.

"Kakashi, my rival!"

The silver-haired man sighed, shutting his book. This was going to be annoying.

"Yes, Guy?"

"I challenge you-"

"No. I'm going to go get my genin team."

"But, but, but you'll fail them like always!"

Kakashi raised an eyebrow at the man in the green spandex. He had gotten quite good at that since everyone could only see one eye. 

"Says who? Maybe they'll be the team to pass." Kakashi shrugged, before starting to walk away.

Guy sighed, exasperated. "Fine...fine. I'll challenge you later!"

Kakashi rolled his eyes - sorry, eye. "I hope not."

The man made his way down the street, people immediately making way for the famed Copy Ninja. Kakashi really didn't like the attention and whispers whenever he walked past, but it was normal now.

The jonin was standing outside of the door to the academy, actually early for once. Really, he just wanted to scope out the batch of genin this time round.

"Ah, Kakashi." A man walked forwards, waving.

Kakashi gave him his closed-eye smile. "Asuma. Hey."

"You here to pick 'em up?" Asuma asked, a cigarette in his mouth.

"Yup." Kakashi nodded. "You?"

"Same here." Asuma sighed. "I've got this generation's Ino-Shika-Cho. Interesting bunch, I have to say. Very much like their parents."

Kakashi let out a soft chuckle. "Ino-Shika-Cho, huh? I've probably got the most...let's just say distant group."

"You got the Uchiha kid?" Asuma asked, though he already knew the answer. Kakashi obviously did, since the kid was an Uchiha, which mean he was supposed to have the Sharigan, which only Kakashi could teach the kid.

Kakashi nodded. "And the Fox child, and Haruno."

"Of course." Asuma chuckled. "The most talented prodigy teaching the other prodigies, huh?"

Kakashi rolled his eyes, before jerking a thumb in the direction of the classroom. "You going in?"

"Wish me luck." Asuma winked, before taking in a long and deep breath of the cigarette and walking confidently into the room, yelling loudly the names of his students. "Ino Yamanaka, Shikamaru Nara and Choji Akimichi, you're with me!"

Flicking open his book, Kakashi eyed the door as Asuma came out with his kids. Kakashi had to admit they looked very much like their parents.

"When are you going in?" A female voice asked while passing Kakashi.

He didn't even look up from his book before answering. "All in due time, Kurenai. All in due time. Good luck."

"Hope you like your genin this time!" Kurenai replied with a wave before walking into the room.

◾◽◾◽◾◽

Finally looking up from his book, Kakashi realised he had been standing out here for much longer than he anticipated. But, as he had planned, his group was the last to be inside.

Kakashi didn't even need to look to know that Naruto had planted a prank. Kakashi sighed, rubbing his temples while tucking his book away. These kids had a long way to learn.

Walking into the classroom, Kakashi let the whiteboard eraser fall onto his head while analysing the three students left.

"Haha!" Naruto burst into laughter, his obnoxious orange clothing making Kakashi cringe internally. "It worked!"

Kakashi could hear Sasuke scoffing and thinking if he was even jonin. The silver-haired man tuned out of Sakura's apologising, already knowing that he wouldn't pass this group, like all the others.

"My first impression on you?" Kakashi said lowly, cutting into Sakura's apologies. All three of them genin looked at him.

"You're all annoying. Meet me on the roof in five."

"Five what?" Naruto questioned. "Five seconds?"

Kakashi's mask twisted into something that looked like a smile. "Now that you've said that, why not? Five seconds starting...now."

With a swish, the jonin was gone. Sakura started to freak out, rushing to the stairs and bolting up the stairs. Sasuke did the same but stopped on a detour to smack the back of Naruto's head before following Sakura.

"Aw, man..." Naruto sighed, before following his new teammates up the stairs.

Kakashi was on the roof already, whistling a tune to himself while counting. He looked up at the sky, taking in the beautiful weather. Then his mood darkened. If these genins passed his test, then they'd be in for a treat.

"And...zero." Kakashi turned around to see a puffing Sasuke leaning over, on the roof. Naruto stumbled up after a minute or so, and Sakura wasn't too far behind.

Kakashi sighed. "Alright. You guys are going to undertake my test to determine if you're fit to be shinobi or not. Understood? Now tell me about yourself."

Sakura let out a shriek. "Determine if we're fit or not? Didn't we already pass the genin test?"

"You're not genin until I say so." Kakashi shrugged. "That test was just to filter out those who would waste our time."

The three of them gulped, seeing the cold and calculating side of their sensei. They had heard of this particular ninja, of course. He was famous for a reason. Student of the late Fourth Hokage, youngest ever to become a jonin, and probably completed more missions than anyone else.

He was really an amazing figure.

"Tell me about yourself." Kakashi urged.

No one answered.

"Fine." The tall ninja stretched. "Play it your way. Meet me at training ground three tomorrow morning at six o'clock, we'll do the test then."

"Is that it?" Sasuke says quietly, the first thing he said that day to Kakashi.

His sensei looked coolly at his student, and Sasuke felt a chill go down his spine. "Yes, that's it. See you all tomorrow morning."

Just as Kakashi was about to leave, a bird swooped down and stopped at the railing beside the jonin, a scroll tied to its leg.

Kakashi let out a groan. "Another mission? I completed one. Just then. Like, four hours ago."

The bird didn't reply, only stood there. Kakashi glared at it before looking at the scroll. His eyes grew wide at the text, before waving goodbye to his students.

The three of them only heard him say two words, and that was enough to make them surprised that he would be there tomorrow morning.

"S-rank."

◾◽◾◽◾◽

Author's Note

Hey, I put Kakashi in this one! I wanted Kakashi to be more of a deliberate person because that's how he's going to fit into my story. Anyways, I can't wait for the next chapter!

Please vote and comment!

~ Magica2007


	3. Cԋαρƚҽɾ Tɯσ - Tҽαɱ 7

"A basketball team is like the five fingers on your hand. If you can get them all together, you have a fist. That's how I want you to play."

\- Mike Krzyzewski

◾◽◾◽◾◽

Naruto was late.

He knew that was a fact. He was rushing around his house, looking for the only thing he thought he would never misplace.

His headband.

And it was new! Schist, he was going to be so late!

[Calm down, Kit. Remember where you put it last night.] Kurama tried to soothe the frantic boy, but it didn't really help.

"There it is!" Naruto sighed in relief, finding it on top of his ramen stash. [Of course it's there, Kit.]

Naruto rolled his eyes, bolting out of the apartment. [Whatever.]

[Are you going to tell your sensei about me?]

[Well...Kakashi-sensei seems like a cool guy, except for the fact that whenever he's around, you either feel scared or protected. So, I don't know.]

[Scared and protected?]

[Like if you know you're his enemy, you should run the other way, or if he's on your side, you know you're going to win.]

[...you have very good luck in scoring him as your sensei, then.]

[Yup. Oh, look. There's Sakura and Sasuke!]

[Focus during this test, Kit. All I know about this Kakashi Hatake is that he's tough. Really tough on genin.]

[Hai! Don't worry about me!]

Kurama went dormant, but Naruto knew that his fox companion was watching over him like always. It felt good to have someone look out for you, especially since he didn't have anyone else.

"Late." Sasuke eyed Naruto with distaste.

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Where's sensei?"

Sakura sighed. "Late as well."

"Not late." Kakashi's unmistakable voice replied from behind. "You're all just incredibly early."

The three genin turned around and were all surprised to see their silver-haired sensei leaning against a tree like he was there the whole time. But they knew better. He probably just teleported there just then.

"How did I not sense you?" Sasuke murmured, and Naruto agreed internally. After becoming friends with Kurama, the fox decided to teach the child how to sense other people's chakra, so he could have a head start when the villagers started to attack him.

Kakashi gave the raven-haired boy a smile under the mask. "I masked my chakra. It's something you'll learn to do, in time."

"Mask your chakra?" Naruto repeated as a question.

Sakura sighed, tugging at a loose string of pink hair. "It's a B-rank skill, mostly for stealth operations. It's also good for scouting and investigations."

"Correct." Kakashi nods, before holding up two bells. "There are two bells. In order to pass, you must gain one of these bells by noon."

"But there are two bells, sensei." Sakura pointed out.

Kakashi's only visible eye seemed to take on a dark glint. "Exactly."

"Okay..." Sasuke muttered, standing up and getting into a defensive position.

Kakashi closes his eyes, before holding up a hand and counting down from five. His fingers one by one lowered, and each of his students watched with anticipation on what was going to happen.

Five...

Four...

Three...

Two...

One.

All three of them bolted into the treeline, and when Kakashi opened his eyes, he wasn't surprised, but a tiny bit impressed. He thought that his subordinates, especially Naruto, would come and fight full-on.

Well, it will all come down to what happens next.

Naruto was hiding on the top branch of a tall tree, cursing his bright orange outfit. he might like orange, yeah, but it was horrible for blending in. 

[Kit, I can't help you much, but think.]

Naruto groaned. [Think about what, Kurama?]

[Why are there three people in a team? Not two? Or one?]

[Huh?] Naruto was confused but still took in Kurama's words. Why were there three people in a team?

Then the answer hit.

Teamwork.

"I need to find Sasuke and Sakura." Naruto realised aloud, before scanning the area from his tall spot and instantly finding Sakura.

Silently and quickly, Naruto found himself next to Sakura, who hadn't noticed him yet. "Hey, Sakura?"

"Shi-" Sakura jumped. "Baka! Seriously?"

Naruto ignored her insult, before pointing vaguely in the direction of Kakashi. "The whole point is teamwork, Sakura. Think about it. There are two bells, why? To pit us against each other! Really, if one of us succeeds, then the whole team succeeds!"

Sakura's eyes widened as the blond boy explained everything. Wasn't he supposed to be the stupid idiot? This sure wasn't the Naruto who went to the academy with her.

Naruto saw Sakura's look of disbelief. "Hey, I'm not always that stupid. Being underestimated is better than overestimated, don't you think?"

Sakura's face turned into a sly smile. "Naruto, let's start over. I'm Sakura Haruno."

"Naruto Uzumaki," Naruto says with a small smile. 

"What's the plan?" Sakura asked.

Naruto looked thoughtful for a while. "Well, you should go tell Sasuke. I'm obviously the decoy because that's what sensei would expect. For me to go right at him."

Sakura nodded. "What about after I tell Sasuke?"

"You're the best with chakra control, right? Sasuke's the taijutsu guy." Naruto's eyes lit up. "You can help me keep Kakashi busy while Sasuke goes in to get the bells!"

Sakura smiled. "Smart."

"Let's go!" Naruto cheered quietly, before rushing out of his hiding place to confront Kakashi, who was busy reading his book.

"Ah, Naruto. Did you get impatient?" Kakashi asked, not even looking up from the book. he could tell by the huge amount of chakra running towards him.

Naruto let out a war cry, like his obnoxious self would. "I'M GETTING THOSE BELLS!"

Kakashi sighed. "C'mon then."

"Kage Bushin no Jutsu (Shadow Clone Jutsu)!" Naruto yelled, and a whole army of Narutos appeared behind him. Kakashi's eyes widened. That was a forbidden B-rank technique.

Then he smiled. This was going to be fun.

"CHARGE!" Naruto yelled, and the rest of the clones rushed towards Kakashi, who decided to look back at his book. Easily defeating the clones using taijutsu, Kakashi sighed and shook his head while flipping over a clone and punching another. Naruto really needed to work on his taijutsu.

Suddenly, a wall appeared underneath Kakashi, and crashed into him as the mud grew higher. 

"Doton: Doryūheki (Earth Release: Earth-style Wall)!" Sakura's voice could be heard, and Kakashi's smile got bigger. They were working together.

And then Sasuke appeared climbing up the wall, before simply grazing a finger on the bells before Kakashi pulled away.

Kakashi landed on the ground, before giving them a thumbs up.

"You pass."

◾◽◾◽◾◽

Author's Note

Finally. They passed! Now onto my story arc, so it might be a little different. The Land of Waves arc might come a little later...so bear with me!

Please vote and comment!

~ Magica2007


	4. Cԋαρƚҽɾ Tԋɾҽҽ - Rυʅҽʂ

"There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure."

\- Colin Powell

◾◽◾◽◾◽

"We pass?" Naruto repeated, a smile making its way onto his face.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "But we didn't get any bells."

"Sensei?" Sakura said quietly. Everyone turned to her as she bowed. "Arigato."

Kakashi gave Sakura his closed one-eyed smile. "You're welcome."

"What?" Naruto was still confused. "Why?"

Sakura looked up at him. "Well, since Kakashi-sensei is a sensei, he knows what he's doing, right? So really, you don't need to keep questioning him all the time. I'm guessing the goal was to work as a team, and since we did, we passed."

Kakashi nodded, before whacking both boys on the head. "Listen to her. She's correct. And stop being so doubtful of me. As from now on, you are all part of Team 7, led by none other than myself, Kakashi Hatake."

All three genin bowed. "Hai."

"Rules." Kakashi's voice took on a sharp edge. "You will never, and I will stress that word, never, never ever question my way of teaching."

The three children exchanged looks quickly. "Hai."

"Secondly. You will not complain, or give me suggestions on what to do. I will tell you what to do, I will teach you what you want to learn, so be patient."

"Hai."

"Thirdly, you will spend time before and after training sessions together. Team 7 isn't just a team, we're now family. Understood?"

"Hai."

"Lastly, this is a guarantee. You will become stronger. You will become faster. You will become more powerful. But you must listen to what I say and tell you to do. I know what I'm doing, contrary to what the other senseis say, so listen up."

"Hai."

"Follow these rules, and you're going to be the best shinobi known to all. Now, since you passed and we're not supposed to do any training until tomorrow, let's go out for lunch together."

"Hai."

The four of them made their way to the Ichiraku Ramen, giving into Naruto's pleading. On the way there, they saw the other teams going through their test. 

"Go Kiba!" Naruto yelled, and Team 8 saw Team 7 walking by, which gave them a shock. Had they already finished their test?

"Focus," Sasuke yelled, covering Naruto's mouth. "You're still doing the test!"

True to his word, Kurenai didn't stop the test. Scolding Naruto for distracting them, Sakura had hit the boy on the head more than three times already.

"Now," Kakashi sighed, "tell me about yourself. Just tell me what you're good at."

Naruto went first. "Well, my name's Naruto Uzumaki. I tend to make people underestimate me, which is great so then I can beat them easily. Oh, and I love working with seals. I can seal items now."

Kakashi nodded. Maybe this kid would be like his father.

"I'm Sakura Haruno," Sakura said shyly. "I want to be a good medical ninja, but my taijutsu is pretty rough. My chakra control is pretty good, I got top marks for that. I'm much stronger compared to my speed..." the girl winced at the mention of her taijutsu and speed. 

Kakashi realised that this girl was more intellectual than physical. He'd have to work harder with her to get her body up to the standard the boys were. But on the other hand, he wouldn't have to work on her chakra.

Then they all looked at Sasuke, who was fingering a kunai. Then he looked up, realising it was his turn. "Oh. I'm Sasuke Uchiha. I'm pretty good at taijutsu, just a bit above average on genjutsu, and am average on ninjutsu. I want to kill my brother because he killed my whole clan."

His sensei internally flinched at the idea of an avenger. Kakashi wasn't foreign to that idea, but it never turned out well. It seems that Sasuke was the well-rounded one, but his chakra control was debatably the worst.

"There we go." Kakashi clapped his hands together, drawing attention to him. "That's your role. Naruto, I know that you were the strategist just then, and you will remain that. You did pretty well coming up with a plan."

"Hai, sensei." Naruto nodded, happy with his role.

"Sakura, you'll be mostly on the defence. Your chakra control is good, while is good for setting the maximum amount of traps. Also, being a medical ninja means you shouldn't be in the first line of fire, so you'll typically be the last person to attack."

"Hai." The pink girl smiled. She liked her role since she wasn't big on attacking.

"Sasuke. You're going to be our front line. Being probably the most skilled in taijutsu, you can easily scope out the enemy without using any chakra and Naruto and you will definitely be a force to be reckoned with when fighting together."

"Hai," Sasuke grumbled. He wasn't the happiest at the fact that he would work together with Naruto, out of all the people, but he knew better than to go against his sensei.

"Oi, we've arrived!" Naruto exclaimed, turning back into an enthusiastic bright kid.

Sakura sighed. "I think he's bipolar."

"Agreed," Sasuke replied, watching his teammate bound inside, nothing like the person he had seen talking to Sakura about teamwork. He had been stationed behind Sakura, and so he saw all of Naruto and Sakura's exchange.

Kakashi gave them his closed eye smile. "At least he's enjoying life."

"Kakashi-sensei, Sakura, Sasuke, hurry up!" Naruto gestured from inside.

Kakashi smiled from under the mask once they were all seated. He either didn't notice or plainly ignored how the whole restaurant seemed to quieten when he entered, but it didn't affect him. Watching the kids, he felt a weird kind of excitement to train them.

"Eat up." Kakashi eyed them, as they ate quickly. "Because you're going to train tomorrow at four o'clock. Meet me at training ground forty-four."

Sakura choked on her chicken. "B-but that-t's the Forest of Death!"

Kakashi shrugged. "Precisely."

Sasuke and Sakura instantly started to eat as much as they could, but Naruto was just confused. "Forest of Death?"

"It's very dangerous," Kakashi informed the child. "Some people don't come out alive."

Naruto, seeing his teammates frantically ordering more and more food, decided to do what they were going to do.

"Good idea." Kakashi murmured, before running a hand through his silver hair.

These genins won't know what hit them.

◾◽◾◽◾◽

Author's Note

There you go, those are their roles in the team! They're going to have fun in the Forest of Death...;). Thanks so much for reading up to here (even though it's just chapter three) and I can't wait for the fourth chapter!

Please vote and comment!

~ Magica2007


	5. Cԋαρƚҽɾ Fσυɾ - Tɾαιɳιɳɠ Gɾσυɳԃ Fσɾƚყ-Fσυɾ

"When nature has work to be done, she creates a genius to do it."

\- Ralph Waldo Emerson

◾◽◾◽◾◽

The morning was new, and the air was silent. Birds chittered in a lovely melody, and the sun was just rising. It was a truly peaceful and tranquil hour at six o'clock am. 

Until it was shattered by a simply scream.

No, no one heard it. Only the person who screamed, and the nature around her, heard it. 

"Damn it," Sakura hissed while healing a broken rib, "damn it, damn it!"

Right now, Team 7 had been in their survival course for about an hour, since Kakashi came an hour late, much to their annoyance. And to add onto their foul mood, Kakashi had announced with a smile that inside the training ground that it was more dangerous than usual because a beast was on the loose inside.

And Sakura was being chased by that beast right now.

It was a gigantic animal, a cross between a panther and a falcon. It's sleek black coat of fur changed into wings and talons, giving it a fierce look.

"Fuc-" Sakura was yanked out of the swooping line of the bird.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at the girl. "I didn't know you swore."

Sakura's eyes lit up. "Thank you so much, Sasuke!"

Sasuke was waiting for her to throw herself onto him, but it never came. "You're not going to fangirl?"

Sakura blushed. "I wasn't really one in the first place, it was just to be like the other girls. I don't like standing out, so I did whatever Ino did."

Sasuke felt his eyebrows raise again. "You became a fangirl to fit in?"

Sakura sighed. "I know, I know. It's stupid. But thanks, anyway."

"Thank god." Sasuke sighed in relief, much to Sakura's surprise. "I'm not in a team with a fangirl."

Sakura giggled, before seeing his bloody right arm. "Oh crap, that looks bad."

"We're not supposed to help each other," Sasuke says, shaking his head as Sakura was going to use her knowledge of medical ninjutsu - even if it was little - to heal him.

"But you-"

"I didn't use any chakra," Sasuke said pointedly, before turning around to leave. "You won't last through the day, Sakura. Find somewhere safe to stay."

Sakura nodded, thanked her teammate, before disappearing up the tree they took refuge under. The green-eyed girl kept her guard up for any mutated animals, not wanting to run into the huge beast ever again.

◾◽◾◽◾◽

"Kakashi!" 

Kakashi looked up from his Icha Icha book. "Kurenai. How can I help?"

The red-eyed woman smiled. "I don't see your team anywhere. Can you help me train my kids? I'm new to this, so I don't know what to do."

Kakashi snapped shut his book and stood up properly, not leaning against a wall. "Sure thing. They're training themselves, in a way."

"Nice." Kurenai thankfully didn't question how his students were training themselves, otherwise, Kakashi would have to explain to her that the Hokage agreed to send his students into the Forest of Death. He didn't need any jonins whispering about his tough training tactics.

Kurenai sighed. "What should I teach them first?"

"What you value as a ninja above all else," Kakashi replied easily, walking with the woman who was freaking out. It was already nine o'clock, and she didn't know what to do.

"Value above all else..." Kurenai murmured. "Teamwork. They don't exactly work together, so I'll work on that first. Thanks, Kakashi."

"No problem. Still need my help?" Kakashi asked, already knowing the answer.

Kurenai looked sheepishly at her childhood friend. They had gone to the academy together, but Kakashi graduated years earlier than her. "Yes, please."

"Oi, what's Naruto-baka's sensei doing here?" Kiba asked, narrowing his eyes at the tall man.

Kakashi waved casually. "I'm here to help you train. My students are busy at the moment."

"You're not with them?" Shino asked quietly.

Kakashi shrugged. "My clones are. Shadow clones, so they're in safe hands."

"C-coo-ol. N-nice t-to me-et-t yo-ou s-sensei." Hinata stuttered, a shy smile on her face. 

Kurenai clapped her hands together. "Okay, we're working on teamwork today! Kakashi will be holding this-" Kurenai gave Kakashi a golden chain. "- and you will try to get it off of him. I'll be giving you tips from the sideline."

Kakashi looked at all three genin curiously. He knew that Shino used bugs as his main weapons, Hinata would know how to use Byakugan, and Kiba would obviously use Akamaru as a partner. 

This would be interesting.

"Start," Kurenai ordered, and instantly Kiba started to attack. Kakashi sighed. Kiba was like Naruto.

◾◽◾◽◾◽

"So where's your team?" Kiba asked, completely wiped out, next to a panting Hinata and a defeated Shino.

Kakashi looked in the direction of Team 7. "On training ground forty-four."

"What?!" Kurenai exclaimed. "Are they okay?"

"My clones are keeping an eye on them," Kakashi said coolly, looking not at all alarmed. 

"Fo-or-rty f-four?" Hinata whispered. "B-but that-t's the F-fores-st of D-death!"

"Indeed," Kakashi replied. "It's a survival challenge."

"First up?" Kurenai was taken aback. "That's tough."

"It's nearing five o'clock." Kakashi checked his watch. "I better be there to pick them up. Their twelve-hour challenge is going to be over."

"TWELVE HOURS?" Kurenai exploded. "WHAT?!"

"You can come as well." Kakashi completely ignored his fellow jonin, who looked flabbergasted. It was quite amusing.

Team 8 followed a shocked Kurenai and a calm Kakashi to the outside of gate seven, where the Team 7 members would exit. 

"Aaaaand..." Kakashi glanced at his watch. "Time's up."

As if he had summoned his students, the three genin ran out of the training ground at full speed, screaming bloody murder for their sensei.

"SENSEI!" Sakura shrieked. "I ALMOST DIED SIXTY-SEVEN TIMES!"

"EIGHTY-TWO HERE!" Naruto bellowed.

"Hn." Sasuke was the only calm one, though he looked the worst out of the trio. "One hundred and three."

Kakashi let out a small chuckle. "Well, you're alive. How was that for your first training session?"

Team 8 expected their fellow genin to burst out in complaints, but again, they were surprised.

Tema 7 bowed to their sensei. "Arigato, sensei."

Kurenai was absolutely horrified. All three of their clothes were soaked in blood, they had cuts visible everywhere, their hair was matted with sweat and blood, and least of all, they looked exhausted.

"How could you do this to them?" Kurenai whispered. "This is..."

"Training." Kakashi smoothly cut in. "My version, of course."

Kurenai looked at her fellow jonin in a new light as his clones came from all directions. Three of them came out of the training grounds themselves, and another three from the direction of the village, holding a backpack each.

"Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke, clean up." Kakashi said as his clones gave them their respective backpacks. "You still have training tomorrow. Five o'clock."

"Hai, sensei."

To say Team 8 was frozen with awe, shock, and fear would be an understatement.

◾◽◾◽◾◽

Author's Note

Training; tick. There we go, the famed Forest of Death! *Totally didn't do that so they could have a good idea of what to do during the chunin exams, nah*

Please vote and comment!

~ Magica2007


	6. Cԋαρƚҽɾ Fιʋҽ - OႦҽԃιҽɳƈҽ

"Rules are for the obedience of fools, and guidance of wise men."

\- Harry Day

◾◽◾◽◾◽

"Again." 

Kakashi was getting annoyed. Naruto was pushing his buttons, Sasuke wasn't listening, and Sakura was giving up.

"Stop," Kakashi yelled, and all three genin froze at his tone. "Come here!"

The three twelve-year-olds cautiously made their way in front of their sensei. Something was off. They could sense it.

"Now." Kakashi took in a deep breath, telling himself that he couldn't maim his students. "Tell me what my first rule is."

"Not to question you." The three genin said in unison.

"Right." Kakashi glared at all three of them. "And what were you all doing?"

"...questioning you." The students whispered together.

"Yes." The Copy Ninja crossed his arms, letting loose a little of his killing intent. In ninja talk, it would be KI. It would sometimes make the air colder, and depending on your affinity, the air would change. 

The air became charged, and electricity crackled around Kakashi. 

The genin gulped. He was mad.

"You disobeyed me." Kakashi pinched his nose. "I know what I'm doing. Sasuke, you keep making the same mistake over and over. Naruto, you have got to stop pushing my buttons to see when I'd explode. Sakura, stop doubting yourself. If I say you can do it, you can do it."

"Hai, sensei." The three genin said.

Kakashi narrowed his eyes. "I don't believe you. Do I have to discipline you?"

No one answered. 

"I'll take that as a yes." The silver-haired jonin suddenly swiped out a leg at the speed of lightning, catching all of them off guard. They all tumbled to the ground, and before they could recover, Kakashi struck again.

Sasuke went flying into a tree, Naruto felt a punch being landed in his stomach and instantly regretted eating breakfast, Sakura pretty much dug her own Sakura-shaped grave in the ground when she flew straight into the ground again.

"Sensei..." Sakura gasped.

Kakashi could feel his bloodlust reach him but stopped himself before he killed any of them. Sure, he was fast. Sure, he was strong. Sure, he could kill any one of his students in a blink of an eye. But he wouldn't. He could control himself.

"That's punishment." He said, his voice dangerously low. "Don't push me."

"Hai, sensei." The three underlings said together. 

Kakashi sighed. "We have a mission tomorrow. Be here at seven o'clock."

Now fearing their sensei, Team 7 knew not to disturb him anymore. He was a scary guy when he was against you.

◾◽◾◽◾◽

"A C-rank?" Naruto sighed. "Better than all the D-ranks we've been getting."

Kakashi, not completely over yesterday's anger, simply nodded in response. The three genin instantly picked up on the lack of words, knowing what the cause was quickly. They came to a decision; not to irritate their sensei.

"Here's the person you're going to escort..." The Hokage gestured, and an alcoholic man stumbled through the doors.

"These squirts are supposed to keep me safe?" The man laughed. "Are they even ninja?"

"Don't underestimate us." Something in Naruto's voice seemed to make the man get the message, but the man mustered up the courage to talk back.

"Are you supposed to be here? The shortie?" The man looked around, locking eyes with the Hokage. "Don't tell me he's going to keep me safe!"

"Tazuna," the Sandaime sighed, "they are more than capable of a mere C-rank."

At the mention of the rank, Tazuna flinched, if not only subtly. All of the ninja in the room was instantly on alert, seeing the small movement.

"Let's go." Kakashi broke the awkward silence and Tazuna turned on his heel and marched out of the room.

"Something's off," Sakura said. "We all felt it."

"Good." The Third Hokage said quietly. "Keep an eye on him, Team 7."

"Hai." The four shinobi replied, before walking out after Tazuna.

"Where are we going?" Naruto asked, stretching his arms as Team 7 and Tazuna set out of the village. 

"The Land of the Waves." Sakura recited from memory. "We're to escort Tazuna to the Land of the Waves ensuring his complete safety."

"There's no shinobi in the Land of the Waves, right?" Sasuke asked.

"No," Sakura answered. "Which is why it's a C-rank. We shouldn't run into anyone."

It didn't go unnoticed how Tazuna stiffened at the mention of running into anyone. Of course, all of the ninja picked up the body language.

"Funny," Kakashi muttered, eyeing the puddle of water on the ground. It hadn't rained in days, and there was a water puddle. Kakashi was wondering if he should teach these ignorant shinobi a lesson right now, or wait until the others attacked.

Sakura also noticed the water and had similar thoughts. She particularly thought that these ninjas were idiots. Who just hides using a puddle on the ground when it's been sunny all week? Really, they needed a lesson with Kakashi on stealth.

Not far from Konoha, and they were attacked.

"One of them," Someone yelled, and Kakashi was 'killed'. Team 7 knew that he was alive because really, Kakashi was known as Kakashi of The Sharigan, and the Copy Ninja. He was famous for a reason and a simple attempt wouldn't be enough to kill him.

"Get the old man!" 

Sakura was instantly on defence, like they practised. Sasuke launched himself towards the voice and tackled a ninja out of a tree. Naruto, being the sensor ninja, attacked another ninja who was hiding, and took his opponent by surprise.

"Wha - wow." Tazuna was in awe at the speed the team moved, and within minutes, the two opposing ninjas were defeated. Taking a closer look at their headbands, Team 7 knew they were Mist ninja.

Kakashi waltzed out of the treeline much to the Kiri shinobi's surprise.

"You didn't really think you could kill me that easily, did you?" Kakashi teased, before glaring at them both. "Tie them up. Tazuna, a word."

Sasuke and Naruto wasted no time in tying up their enemies, and Tazuna's eye bulged out at the simple strength the twelve-year-olds showed. He had really underestimated the genin.

"Tazuna." Kakashi's voice was devoid of emotion. "I'd like to know why the Demon Brothers attacked us."

"Er..."

"I stayed out of the fight since I wanted to know who they targeted, and guess what?"

"...what?"

"They aimed for you. Now, what aren't you telling us?"

◾◽◾◽◾◽

Author's Note

I started the Land of Waves arc! Yay! Who else likes badass Kakashi? I kinda felt sorry for Team 7 while writing the first section.

Please vote and comment!

~ Magica2007


	7. Cԋαρƚҽɾ Sιx - Tԋҽ Lαɳԃ σϝ Tԋҽ Wαʋҽʂ

"He will win who knows to fight and when not to fight."

\- Sun Tzu

◾◽◾◽◾◽

"I...I don't know what you're talking about!" Tazuna protested weakly.

Kakashi's eyes narrowed. "Really?"

It took way too long for the alcoholic to answer. "...yeah!"

"Sasuke," Kakashi commanded. "Over here please."

The raven-haired boy walked over, twirling a kunai in his hand. "Yes, sensei?"

"This genin of mine," Kakashi threw an arm over Sasuke's shoulders, "is being trained in the arts of torture, interrogation and taijutsu. He hasn't practised as much torturing as the others, so..."

The silent threat lay heavily in the air. Tazuna gulped, looking down at the boy who tossed up and down a sharp knife, like it was no big deal.

Sasuke might've been young, but the cold and calculating look that completely masked any emotion was enough to freak Tazuna out. Tazuna was scared; that cold look had to have been mastered over years of practice. And it was. After the Uchiha massacre, Sasuke learned to control his display of emotions, making him even more intimidating.

"Well..." Tazuna squeaked. "I know that Gato wants power. He's taken over the Land of the Waves since everyone knows that if you control the sea in that area, you control the country. But because I'm building a bridge...he doesn't like that."

"And he's hired assassins to kill you." Kakashi finished. "And you didn't think that would be a wonderful detail to add? This is easily an A-rank mission!"

"Please don't turn back-"

"Who said anything about turning back?" Sasuke hissed while pointing his kunai at the man, taking over. "You need to know, that's even if you can't afford it, you still have to put in all the detail possible. If Team 7 wasn't trained as advanced as it already is, we would've turned back as soon as Kakashi-sensei said it would be an A-rank."

Tazuna gulped and nodded frantically, scared of the twelve-year-old. Sasuke growled once more before Kakashi put a hand on Sasuke's shoulder, guiding the genin to put the kunai down.

"Go check on Naruto," Kakashi suggested, and the Uchiha heir stormed off to where Sakura was taking out the poison that was in Naruto's hand.

Tazuna sagged down in relief. That genin really got on his nerves.

"That doesn't mean you're off the hook." Kakashi's voice was sharp and cold. "We're only doing this because it's our mission, A-rank or C-rank doesn't matter, and because we've gone far enough."

"Let's go!" Naruto hollered, walking towards Konoha.

Sakura sighed, but a smile was on her face. "The Land of the Waves is that way, baka."

"Riiiiight." Naruto turned on his heel, facing the original way they were going. "C'mon, let's go. Sensei, we are going that way, right?"

Instantly changing his cold look into his closed one-eye smile, Kakashi freaked out Tazuna with his immediate mood change. "Yup, Naruto. That way."

"Move it, usuratonkachi." Sasuke urged, crossing his arms.

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Whatever, dobe."

Sakura sighed, before whacking them both on the head as the group started moving again. Tazuna would stiffen whenever Sasuke would cross his path, or walk in a two-metre radius of him, and that didn't go unnoticed.

"What...what do your other students specialise in?" Tazuna asked, trying to spark a conversation.

Kakashi didn't look up from his book. "None of your business."

"O-oh." Tazuna was taken aback but still stayed quiet.

"Sensei, we've arrived," Sakura said respectfully, and Tazuna marvelled at the fact at how disciplined these students were. And they were twelve! But he had no idea that these twelve-year-olds went through more than even high-level chunin with their training, making them more mature.

"I'm afraid I can't let you go in," a deep voice boomed, "but really, you kind of intrigued me with how you defeated my accomplices."

Kakashi sighed, shutting his book. "I wondered when you'd come out."

"You really need to work on masking your chakra, baka," Naruto commented, not even looking surprised. Kakashi had taught his students that hand movements used in the ANBU, so they could communicate without speaking. And so when Naruto sensed a spark of chakra, he had informed Sasuke and Sakura silently.

Sasuke readied himself into a defensive stance. "Why'd you wait so long?"

The fog thickened, and Team 7 could make out a shadowy silhouette in the mist. "I'm surprised. Really. You're all genin, but you act like chunin, maybe jonin."

"You should expect that." Kakashi cracked his knuckles. "They're my students."

"You seem familiar. Should I know you?" The man replied, the silhouette getting closer and closer.

Kakashi shrugged. "Depends. Do you have the bingo book? Oh wait, that was a stupid question. You're in the bingo book, aren't you?"

There was no answer.

"You're Zabuza Momoti, known as the Demon of The Mist." Kakashi continued, a hand reaching for his kunai knives and shurikens. "Aren't you?"

"Sharp." The man replied after a moment of silence. "Who are you?"

"Naruto," Kakashi ordered, and the blond boy took in a deep breath.

"Boufuu Kyouzuu no Jutsu (Gale Surge Jutsu)!" Naruto bellowed, and a gust of wind blew away the mist, revealing a tall and well-built man who had bandages around his face like a mask. His eyes widened when he saw the jonin which stood facing him.

"Kakashi of the Sharigan." He whispered.

Kakashi nodded, before flexing his fingers. "Are you going to let us pass, or are you going to fight?"

Zabuza shook his head, before placing a hand on the hilt of his gigantic sword. "Fight."

Kakashi sighed. "I was afraid of that. Zabuza's mine, the rest of you, defence."

"Hai." The three genin said shortly, forming a Manji formation around Tazuna, who was now doubting the genins abilities. After all, if this Zabuza wasn't too hard of an opponent, why would Kakashi want to fight him?

"Don't come out," Zabuza yelled suddenly and shocked the other shinobi before they realised that he was talking to another accomplice. "Kakashi of The Sharigan is high in the bingo book, they think he's going to be the next Hokage, and underneath his name, it says to run on sight."

"Run on sight?" Sakura whispered.

Sasuke was also surprised. "Our sensei is that good?"

"Of course!" Naruto pumped a fist. "He's our sensei!"

Tazuna was chilled to the core. He had heard of this Kakashi of The Sharigan, of course. Being the top and most well-known Leaf ninja, everyone knew him. And to think he tried to lie to the Copy Ninja...

◾◽◾◽◾◽

Author's Note

Finally...Zabuza made his debut. Anyways, do you like it so far? I think it's going pretty well, but maybe I should stretch out the arc a bit more...

Please vote and comment!

~ Magica2007


	8. Cԋαρƚҽɾ Sҽʋҽɳ - ZαႦυȥα Mσɱσƈԋι

"Man always dies before he is fully born."

\- Erich Fromm

◾◽◾◽◾◽

"Suiton: Teppōdama (Water Release: Gunshot)!" Zabuza yelled, and a huge bullet of water flew towards Kakashi.

Kakashi narrowed his eyes before whispering, "Doton: Doroku Gaeshi (Earth Release: Rock Shield)."

A huge chunk of the earth - so big that Tazuna and Team 7 blinked a couple of times to make sure that it was real - protected Kakashi from the oncoming water attack, and the Copy-nin didn't look fazed when Zabuza took that moment to disappear.

"Coward." Sasuke seethed, his grip tightening on his kunai. "Why the hell is he-"

"Shush!" Sakura interrupted, green eyes flashing. Something was weird. The air was getting thicker, and Sakura was debating on whether it was a genjutsu or not. Then it hit her. It wasn't a genjutsu. "Naruto, blow all of the mist away."

"Huh?" Naruto was confused. But Sakura insisted, and Naruto summoned a gust of wind just to please her.

"Boufuu Kyouzuu no Jutsu (Gale Surge Jutsu)." He grumbled, before adding under his breath, "I'm wasting chakra here."

But when the mist parted, they were faced with a sight that was something you didn't see every day. It was two S-rank shinobi fighting it out, both powerful and experienced.

"Amazing." Sasuke was admiring the two ninjas. If he could get up to that standard, then maybe he could kill Itachi!

Naruto, on the other hand, was hooked up on the mist. "How - huh - when did it get all foggy?"

Sakura sighed. "Zabuza made it gradually become misty, and so none of us realised it because it was such a slow change that it didn't stand out."

"D-do you think your sensei's going to win?" Tazuna cut in, eyeing the two shinobi who had now moved onto a lake to battle.

The genin replied without hesitation. "Obviously."

"Ha!" Zabuza let out a yell of triumph. "I got you!"

And inside a water sphere, there was Kakashi, who looked quite bored. "You really are stupid, even if you are one of the Seven Swordsman of The Mist."

"Excuse me?" Zabuza growled. "Who's the one in my water prison?"

Kakashi gave his opponent the one-eyed smile. "My clone, dipshit."

With a poof accompanied by smoke, Kakashi disappeared with a wave of his hand and Zabuza's eyes widened. That was impossible. His eyes were on the Copy Ninja the whole time since he had heard many tales and stories of Kakashi's feints and clones.

"Dipshit?" Naruto laughed uncontrollably. "Did you see his face?!"

"Don't learn that word, Naruto," Kakashi says, walking out from behind where Team 7 stood to protect Tazuna.

Tazuna was extremely confused. How did Kakashi end up behind them? This is why he never got shinobi and their tricks. They were way too indirect, always with the trickery and mischief. 

Zabuza was angry, angry that someone - regardless if Kakashi was an S-rank nin - had beaten him, and he was probably facing a clone the whole damn time!

"Don't learn it?" Naruto pouted. "But-"

"A no's a no." Kakashi shook his head. "But I gotta finish off big guy over there, you guys can start moving forwards."

Team 7 blinked.

They wish they hadn't. Because during that split second, Kakashi Hatake had rushed forwards, created some sort of lightning Jutsu that incased his hand, and killed Zabuza Momochi on the spot.

"Damn..." Sasuke trailed off, watching his sensei wash his bloody hand in the lake nearby while a clone of Kakashi buried Zabuza's body.

Kakashi glanced back. "What are you guys waiting for? Hurry up! I don't want to set camp out in the wild tonight."

Sakura, Naruto and Sasuke exchanged a glance before speaking in unison. "Hai!"

◾◽◾◽◾◽

"Itadakimasu!" Naruto picked up his chopsticks, ready to dig in.

Kakashi chuckled at the genin's enthusiasm to eat, before picking up his utensils himself. "Thank you, Tsunami for the food."

The woman beamed brightly. "No problems, after all, you did keep my father safe!"

Tazuna grumbled, "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Inari, stop stuffing your face like a pig."

The small kid looked up when his name was mention, but rolled his eyes after his grandfather reprimanded him.

"Arigato." Sakura chimed in her gratitude as she walked into the kitchen, her pink hair in a towel from the shower she took after training. 

Tsunami only smiled at the young girl, who had taken a seat next to Naruto. Sasuke trailed in afterwards, his hair still wet from his shower, and he sat at the end of the table, next to Sakura.

"C'mon, dig in." Tsunami gestured to all the food she made, and the shinobi didn't need to be told twice before eating.

Naruto was speeding through his bowl of rice, and Sakura had to thump him on the back a couple of times because he ate too fast. 

"Maa, why are you eating so fast, Naruto?" Kakashi asked, somehow eating so fast that no one actually saw him take his mask off.

Naruto eyed his teacher. "You're the one to talk! You eat so fast with your mask off that no one sees you with your mask on! And you were the one to give us training!"

"Tree climbing shouldn't be too hard," Kakashi commented, ignoring everything except the last sentence.

Sakura nods along. "Yeah, it just means that you need to work on your chakra control more."

"For once the idiot's right," Sasuke took a sip of his water, "the training is pretty hard."

"Oi, dobe!" Naruto glared at his teammate.

Sasuke gave a raised eyebrow back, before turning to his sensei. "We're going home tomorrow, right?"

"Right." Kakashi yawned from under the mask. "We completed our mission-"

"Can you please get rid of Gato for us?" Tazuna asked, interrupting the jonin. Team 7 froze, eyeing their sensei carefully. They knew how much he hated being interrupted, and the last time someone interrupted him...let's just say Naruto had to do some extra extra taijutsu training.

A flash of anger and annoyances passed through Kakashi's dark eyes, and his KI spiked dangerously. Sakura was ready to defend Tazuna's family, Sasuke was calculating his chances of winning against his angry sensei - it was about a zero point zero zero zero zero something chance - and Naruto was contemplating if he could summon enough clones to pin his teacher down for at least one second.

Then the danger passed, and Kakashi calmed down.

"And why on earth would we do that?"

◾◽◾◽◾◽

Author's Note

One...more...chapter...there we go! This is all of the hard work I've done so far - which isn't much - but I'm so excited to do the next chapter!

Please vote and comment!

~ Magica2007


	9. Cԋαρƚҽɾ Eιɠԋƚ - Tɾαιɳιɳɠ

"To change, to convert? Why bother?"

\- Lionel Blue

◾◽◾◽◾◽

"Why?" It was Inari who answered Kakashi. "Because you're meant to help people!"

Sakura was unsure. She glanced at her sensei and was about to ask him if they could pick up this extra mission, but stopped her voice before she could say anything as she saw Kakashi straighten in his seat and take on a glint in his eyes.

"I'll tell you why." Kakashi cleared his throat. "Firstly, Tazuna, you lied about the status of the danger of this mission, which made the mission a lower rank than it is and resulted in genin having to deal with an S-rank missing-nin and his accomplices."

Inari was about to protest when Kakashi held up a hand, silencing the boy. Even though Inari was young, he still respected the ninja. 

"Secondly," Kakashi continued, "Tazuna, you lied again, to my face. I asked you for the truthful details, but you tried to lie again. Thirdly, this is was we were paid for. This was what the mission entails. Not for us to do something else simply because you asked us to."

"But..." Inari trailed off, looking at the genin for support.

Kakashi's eyes narrowed. "Fourthly, we are shinobi of the Leaf. We have no business in the Land of the Waves. Fifthly, who do you think we are? We're shinobi, not the police. We are trained killers, assassins, people who keep peace in check. Not those who run around doing whatever the citizens tell them to do."

Silence.

"That was a bit too harsh," Sakura said quietly. "But Kakashi-sensei is right. We are shinobi."

"But Gato hired shinobi too!" Inari shot back, standing up. "Can't you do anything about that?"

"As Kakashi-sensei said," Naruto gulped down his glass of water, "we're not Land of The Waves people. We're from Konoha."

"Inari." Tazuna cut in before his grandson could say anything more. "Enough."

"Sensei." Sasuke changed the subject swiftly, seeing their host family getting into a small conflict, as Inari and Tsunami had a hushed talk in the corner, which really was Tsunami scolding her son. "Do you mind if I continue to train as soon as dinner's over?"

Kakashi smiled at the last Uchiha. "Very well, but take Naruto with you. You both need to master that tree climbing technique. Sakura, I have something else for that very good chakra control of yours."

"Hai!" The three genin cheered together, before taking their leave from the table with a goodnight to Tazuna and his family before disappearing outside into the forest behind the house to train for an extra couple of hours.

Kakashi saunters out of the house to see Sakura giving tips to the boys, who were slowly getting nearer to the top of their huge trees.

"Ah, Sakura." Kakashi waves and he could literally see steam coming out from the young kunoichi's ears. Was he late again? Probably. Most likely. You know what? Yes. He was.

Sakura calmed herself before she could get mad at her sensei and receive another session of disciplining - never going to do that again - and smiles thinly. "You're a little late, sensei. Is there something I'm supposed to do?"

Kakashi was amused at her attempt at calming herself but was proud that this young and fine growing kunoichi had changed from the hot-headed fangirl she once was.

"Here." Kakashi motioned to a small pond nearby, before walking calmly towards, and...onto the water?!

Sakura's eyes lit up. "I get it! You have to keep on sending chakra out of your feet to keep you on top of the water, which is next level chakra control!"

Kakashi nods with his closed-eye smile. "Correct. Always the perceptive and smart one, hmm?"

"Arigato, sensei." Sakura nods, before carefully approaching the water, and towards the silver-haired jonin, who, despite his slouched appearance, was watching just in case his student fell. The pond wasn't really a pond, it was a water hole. While mean...extremely deep.

"Sakura! I DID IT!" Naruto bellowed, before his silhouette in the distance fell over, most likely due to chakra exhaustion.

Breaking her moment of concentration, Sakura's next foot started to sink almost immediately, despite her good head start.

"NARUTO-BAKA!" Sakura screeched before almost toppling into the water, but Kakashi caught her in time.

He gave a freaked out Sakura his one-eyed smile. "You're all good."

"The water..." Sakura gulped. "It's so deep!"

"That's why," Kakashi's voice took on a stern tone, "you can't train without me around. Understood?"

"Hai," Sakura said shakily, smiling up at the former ANBU captain.

"Now," Kakashi looked at the direction of Sasuke and Naruto. "Let's go back."

Placing down his student once they reached dry land, Kakashi checked over the small girl for any injuries. "Are you sure nothing hurts?"

"Kakashi-sensei, I'm fine," Sakura promised. "What can a small dip in the waterhole do?"

Kakashi looked at her seriously. "You don't want to know."

And so she found herself changing the subject, listening to her sensei almost instantly. As the duo walked back in a comfortable silence, Sakura only then realised she had completely trusted her sensei and listened without hesitation.

When did that happen?

Easy. When Kakashi had disciplined his students, more than once of course. Even though through training, many times, the genin had thought of their teacher as the devil reincarnated, they trusted him wholly. It really was a weird way to create a strong and trusting bond.

"Naruto! Sasuke!" Sakura ran forwards, but almost immediately stopped as a wave of fatigue hit her and she swayed on her feet.

Kakashi was instantly alert. "Whoa, there. Sakura, you okay?"

"Just a bit...tired," Sakura says, nodding to herself. "Yeah. Tired."

"C'mon." Hauling the girl into his arms once more, Kakashi picked up the small twelve-year-old. Noticing the blond boy that was knocked out cold - most likely from chakra exhaustion - and a raven-haired companion at his side, Kakashi realised he might just have to pick up his whole genin team.

"Can you walk?" Kakashi asked hopefully to the Uchiha heir, who nodded weakly and stumbled onto his feet.

"Y-yeah." The boy said quietly, before stumbling forwards and regaining his balance. Scooping up the Uzumaki, Kakashi and Sasuke slowly made their way back into their accommodation for the night.

"Goodnight, sensei." Sakura yawned.

"Night, Sakura." Kakashi patted the girl's head before she disappeared into her room.

"Goodnight," Sasuke said stiffly, obviously the lack of energy taking its toll. Supporting a half-conscious Naruto, the two boys walked off into their room.

Kakashi stretched.

Time for his training.

◾◽◾◽◾◽

Author's Note

Haha...yay. More of cold Kakashi. Anyways, I've got an idea that twists Team 7's first kill in with Gato, so yay! Thanks so much for reading up to here!

Please vote and comment!

~ Magica2007


	10. Cԋαρƚҽɾ Nιɳҽ - Nιɠԋƚɱαɾҽʂ

"They promised that dreams come true - but forgot to mention that nightmares are dreams too."

\- Oscar Wilde

◾◽◾◽◾◽

Kakashi had just finished his session of training and was slumped up on a tall branch of a tree, watching over Tazuna's house.

"Ohaiyo, Obito, Rin, Minato-sensei," Kakashi whispered to no one in particular. It was morning, just extremely early. It was about two o'clock in the morning, but the jonin didn't feel tired. Guess all those training sessions in the ANBU paid off.

Kakashi shifted, changing his position so he could see the house better. "I told you about my genin team, haven't I? Minato-sensei, your kid really inherited Kushina-chan's energy, but your looks. Man, he is like the most hyperactive person I've ever met."

The silver-haired man could almost hear his sensei's sheepish laugh playing in his ears, and his mood dampened. 

"Obito, I think you are the same as Naruto. Nothing else to say there. Sakura Haruno, mah, she's like a more extreme version of you, Rin. Sasuke? He's me. Literally. When I was younger and was a jerk to you, Obito."

The Copy-nin couldn't say anything more, because his sharpened senses pick up a scream and a spike in Sakura's chakra.

"Got to go," Kakashi saluted to nobody, before disappearing down the tree in a flash and running towards Sakura's room.

A nightmare.

Now that was something Kakashi was familiar with since they greeted him every single night after his father's death until they stopped for about a week, and then Obito died. Then Rin died. Then Minato died. And so on.

"Sakura!" Naruto was summoning clones to get her warm water and extra blankets, though he was still sleep-deprived and his chakra hadn't been fully replenished yet. The clones stumbled around clumsily, almost tripped Sasuke as he walked in to see what the fuss was.

The girl herself was a sobbing mess. Her pink hair was plastered to her face and matted with tears, and her face was buried in her hands while her body shook like crazy.

"Naruto, enough." Kakashi's voice was soft but firm. "Get rid of your clones, don't waste chakra. Naruto, go get the blankets yourself. Sasuke, get the warm water please."

The two boys listened to their sensei instantly, and the jonin walked closer to the kunoichi, taking in her appearance. Her nightmare must've been bad. He had known who his genin team was before he started to train them, and so he let a shadow clone trail each one of them. Very chakra depleting, but it was worth it. 

All three of them had frequent nightmares, but Sakura's was on par with Sasuke's for the worst impact. Naruto had the Tailed-Beast to talk to, but the other two didn't have anyone. Sakura's parents were off on a year-long vacation, and Sasuke's whole clan was gone.

"Sakura, relax. Let it all out." Kakashi rubbed soothing circles into her back. Kakashi felt nostalgic. That was what Minato would do when Kakashi would wake up screaming his heart out because he saw one of his treasured people die over again.

"S-sor-ry, sen-nsei," Sakura said between hiccups, tears still overflowing. 

Kakashi sighed, before accepting the warm and fluffy black blanket Naruto offered as he walked in. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Sakura didn't answer, only her body racketed even more. 

"I'll take that as a no," Kakashi answered for himself, before turning to find Sasuke walking in with a jug of hot water and a glass cup in hand.

Sakura looked up when the Uchiha placed the two items on her bedside table and uttered a quiet 'thank you' which Sasuke responded with a simple nod. Kakashi couldn't help but be proud. The fangirl was now a strong and independent girl, the avenger was now becoming part of the family, and the prankster wasn't always cracking stupid jokes and was incredibly stupid.

"Sorry about waking you guys up," Sakura whispered, holding a cup of water in her hands.

Naruto gave her a thumbs up. "No problem, dattebayo! We all get nightmares!"

"Hn," Sasuke replied, but the concern in his eyes was enough to know that he cared for the female in his team.

"Did I..." Sakura broke off before starting again. "Did I wake up anyone else?"

A quick chakra check later, Kakashi shook his head. "No, just us."

"Sorry," Sakura said sheepishly. 

Sasuke huffed. "Stop apologising, it's annoying."

Sakura offered a faint smile. "At least you're still the same."

"Hn," Sasuke picked up the rest of the blankets that Naruto had taken, before making a makeshift bed on the floor.

"What are you doing?" Sakura asked, alarmed.

Kakashi gave his team a smile. "Keeping you company. Sleep well, kids."

"Hai!" Naruto grinned, before diving into the other bed that Sasuke made, waving at his sensei as the adult walked out of the room, closing the light and shutting the door behind him.

They really were becoming one big family.

◾◽◾◽◾◽

"Ohaiyo, my adorable subordinates." 

"Ugh...five more minutes."

"Get up, Naruto."

"Hey, dobe!"

"Get up, usuratonkachi." 

"Be quiet you two idiots!"

"Sakura, we're meant to get up."

"Uchiha, I don't give a-"

"No bad language!" Kakashi interrupted, before ruffling the girl's pink hair. "But you do need to get up as well."

"Fiiiiiine!" Sakura groaned, hauling her body out of her bed. Wincing when she looked into the mirror, Sakura saw dark bags under her eyes and her face was pale. She looked like a nightmare, much less having been in one.

Kakashi watched in amusement as the girl made a beeline for the bathroom, before turning to the rest of his genin. "Get up, boys. We're going home."

"Home." Naruto deadpanned, but there was an underlying bitter tone to it. Of course. Kakashi remembered how the villagers would beat up the small blond, which is probably why his grown was so stunted. (There was no way Kakashi let his shadow clone beat a couple of the villagers up, nah.)

Kakashi smiled his closed-eye smile. "I'll buy you ramen."

"Arigato sensei!" Naruto was instantly on a high note, bounding around getting everything cleaned.

Sasuke rolled his eyes, yawning. "Ohaiyo, sensei."

"Ohaiyo," Kakashi replied. "You guys have one hour tops to get everything ready. Don't forget about breakfast!"

The silver-haired jonin walked back into the kitchen, offering help to Tsunami, who politely declined. But before Tsunami could place down breakfast onto the dining table, the door was banged and the poor wooden door almost flew off its hinges.

"Open up!" 

Tsunami paled. 

"Gato."

◾◽◾◽◾◽

Author's Note

I have a feeling that I'm just writing nonsense. Like I feel like I'm stalling, but I have no idea for what. Anyways, my next chapter is going to be pushing the story back onto the rails! Yay!

Please vote and comment!

~ Magica2007


	11. Cԋαρƚҽɾ Tҽɳ - Gαƚσ

"Maybe death hurts more than life."

\- Anonymous

◾◽◾◽◾◽

"Gato?" Kakashi's eyebrows shot up to his hairline. "What is he doing here?"

"He..." Tsunami looked so pale that the jonin thought she'd faint at any second. "He killed my husband. Be careful."

Kakashi merely nodded, before the door was crushed, and a huge looking thug stood there, trying to intimidate whoever was inside. It worked for Tsunami, but Kakashi looked less than impressed. His stance was horrible, and if Kakashi attacked right now, he could kill the man with one strike.

Storming into the house, the thugs filed in one by one, with a rich-looking businessman standing in the middle of all of the thugs.

"You must be Gato." Kakashi said offhandedly, and it pissed the man off to see someone not cowering in front of his 'army'. 

Gato gritted his teeth. "You must be the one who killed Zabuza and the Demon Brothers."

"Nope." Kakashi popped the 'p', much to Gato's annoyance. "I only killed Zabuza. The others? Mah, I don't know what happened to them."

In reality, Kakashi did kill the Demon Brothers, but it was his genin who captured them. He didn't want the young twelve-year-olds to be caught up in killing and end up making them ruthless machines, like the ROOT. He wanted to contract a mission especially for their first kill, so they would be prepared.

"Idiot." Gato seethed. "Do you not know who I am?"

"Do you not know who I am?" Kakashi countered, his voice becoming cold. "This family is currently under my protection, and if you aren't going to move and leave them alone, I am going to remove you from the premise."

"You're going to kill me?" Gato let out a laugh of disbelief. 

"If that's what you prefer. Death." Kakashi's demeanour seemed to switch from his laid-back jonin sensei to the killer, Kakashi of the Sharigan. 

"You're outnumbered." Gato pointed out smugly, crossing his arms.

Kakashi seemed to smile from under the mask, and it unnerved most of the thugs. "But I'm still more skilled, and faster. You're at a disadvantage."

"Still, there's only one of you. Kill one, the end." Gato sneered, a scowl on his face. "Get him."

"Kage Bushin no Jutsu (Shadow Clone Jutsu)," Kakashi whispered, and ten more Kakashis appeared behind him, scaring the life out of some thugs. 

Gato growled. "What do you think you're doing? Get him!"

Kakashi smiled like a fox. "Am I outnumbered now?"

Engaging the thugs in battle, Kakashi had to admit fighting them was like a walk in the park. Yes, they might have the build and muscle, but they lacked grace and speed. The Kakashi clones were all accounted for, and none of them had even a scratch on them. Advancing towards Gato together, the businessman fled and ran.

"Don't let him escape!" Kakashi ordered, running in tow with his clones, who all separated, but didn't go far.

"Hijutsu: Makyō Hyōshō (Secret Technique: Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals)." A voice commanded, and mirrors all appeared around Kakashi and his clones, with one person standing within the mirrors.

Kakashi was surprised. He had never seen this before, but that wasn't enough to get under his skin. After a few rounds with this mysterious man who dressed like a Kiri ninja and had a hunter-nin mask, Kakashi soon found that he couldn't keep up with the speed the young man used.

And so he revealed his Sharigan.

"Sensei!" 

Kakashi almost sighed with relief. "Sakura! Is Naruto and Sasuke with you?"

"Hai!" The unmistakable voice of all three genin moulded together.

Kakashi dodged another one of the Kiri-nin's attack, making the young man surprised at how the Konoha-nin could see his attacks. 

"I need you three to go capture Gato. Capture, not kill!" Kakashi ordered.

"Hai!" The three genin replied before their footsteps receded off into the distance and Kakashi could focus on the fight at hand.

The opposing ninja looked intrigued. "Who are you?"

"Could ask you the same question," Kakashi replied easily, dodging yet another attack, but following it with a counterattack which the Kiri ninja didn't see. Being injured, the Kiri-nin stayed in the mirrors for a little while longer, which gave Kakashi enough time to summon his ninken.

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu (Summoning Technique)." Kakashi slapped his hand onto the ground and a huge black dog and a small pug appeared with a flash of smoke. "Bull. You're helping me. Pakkun, go help the kids." 

"I am Haku." The Kiri-nin said softly, watching the pug slip out of his ice dome. "And you killed my brother."

"Zabuza?" Kakashi looked actually sympathetic. "I'm sorry for your loss. Though you can't say he didn't deserve it."

That fired Haku up. With renewed strength spikes came after Kakashi, piercing the shinobi attired, but not the ninja himself, as he moved with speed and grace and dodged the spikes. Haku could see why he was known as Konoha's most talented ninja. The man looked bored, but his eyes were always alert.

"Bull," Kakashi commanded, and the huge dog launched and managed to bit onto Haku's leg. The ninja cursed himself for getting distracted, which resulted in his defeat.

Haku looked up at the silver-haired jonin, who sauntered over, that injured, only before he had started using his Sharigan. "Please kill me."

"And why would I do that?" Kakashi asked, twirling a kunai in his hand.

Haku gulped. He was at the total mercy of Kakashi. "Because...I want to see Zabuza-san again. Please."

Without a second thought, Kakashi dismissed Bull, who left with a puff of smoke. "Are you sure?"

"Sure." Haku nodded.

Not hesitating for one second, Kakashi lodged his kunai into Haku's throat and watched with sad eyes as the young ninja coughed up blood and mouthed a 'thank you' before falling dead at his feet.

The ice mirrors disappeared, as Haku's eyes closed, and Kakashi easily used his earth jutsus to bury the talented fighter. Though Haku wasn't the best, he was certainly an experienced and very talented ninja.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura waved from where she was, a hand healing Naruto's wounds.

Taking one last glance at Haku's grave, Kakashi walked towards his student. "How did it go?"

"He's here," Sasuke grumbled, hauling a roped up Gato.

"You have your Sharigan," Kakashi noted, before squatting down to face the beaten up businessman.

Sasuke nodded proudly. "Yes, I do."

"All because of me," Naruto interjected.

"If you hadn't been so close to dying then I would give you the credit!" Sasuke shot back. 

Kakashi shook his head at his genin, before locking eyes with Gato. Giving him a smile, Kakashi could tell that he was freaking Gato out. "So what now? Do I kill you?"

Gato's eyes widened. 

Kakashi's eyes hardened.

"Leave him here. I'm going to deal with this bastard."

"Hai, sensei."

"Go and continue packing. We're leaving soon."

"Hai."

As his genin left, Kakashi glared at Gato, who started to hyperventilate and shake under the cold gaze of the experienced killer.

"Say goodbye," Kakashi whispered to the man before the unmistakable sound of chirping birds was heard, accompanied by the crackle of lightning.

Gato didn't say anything, only gasped as Kakashi thrust his hand into Gato's chest.

"I'll say it for you." Kakashi offered. "Goodbye."

◾◽◾◽◾◽

Author's Note

Dun dun dun! End of the Land of The Waves arc! Now I have it all planned out...my arc first before the Chunin exams, so bear with me!

Please vote and comment!

~ Magica2007


	12. Cԋαρƚҽɾ Eʅҽʋҽɳ - Fιɾʂƚ Kιʅʅ

"Stay low, move fast. Kill first, die last. One shot, one kill. No luck, pure skill."

\- Anonymous

◾◽◾◽◾◽

"Hokage-sama," Kakashi said. "I have a request for my team."

The elderly man looked up from under his wide-brimmed hat, eyes calculating. He did have an idea on what it would be, but he wanted to hear it from the jonin himself. "Go on."

"Their first kill." Kakashi continued quietly. "Just a mission for their first kill."

Hiruzen Sarutobi would deny forever, but he choked on his pipe and it fell out of his mouth. The corners of Kakashi's lips twitched as the Hokage fumbled for his pipe, managing to catch it before it hit the ground.

"First kill?" Hiruzen's voice was higher than it's usual pitch. Clearing his throat, the Hokage eyed his right-handed man with uncertainty. "Are you sure?"

Kakashi nodded. "Yes. They need to learn. From our last D-rank missions, there was no whatsoever killing involved. But with the C-rank-turned-A-rank mission to the Land of The Waves which was two weeks ago, they need to be more prepared for death."

"I trust you, Kakashi. I really do." Hiruzen rubbed his temples. "So I will allow you on a B-rank. Just...I hope you know what you're doing."

"Arigato." Kakashi bowed, before accepting the mission scroll and was about to leave to tell his genin about their next mission when Hiruzen called out his name.

"Don't push them too hard, Kakashi."

"I won't."

◾◽◾◽◾◽

"When do we arrive?" Sasuke asked, following his sensei and teammates as the four of them flew from tree to tree, in the direction of the Waterfall country.

Sakura pointed out in the distance. "We already have. See?"

Naruto suddenly flashed a hand sign, and all of the shinobi were alert. Kakashi was proud that Naruto had sensed the enemy ninja, but he was concerned as to which shinobi they were. Training with ninken made Kakashi's senses sharper, and his sense of smell could rival a dog's, and so he sniffed the air discreetly.

Naruto's hands continued to move as the boy sensed the chakra nearby. Seven enemy ninja, heading their way. Five chunin level. Two jonin level. Approximate ten minutes before arrival.

Kakashi's sense of smell also picked up on a rather distinct smell of...acid? Ah. Must be Otogakure ninja. The newest ninja village always smelt like acid.

The jonin made a hand symbol for Otogakure and all of his students nodded subtly to show they got the message. Naruto's mind was whirling, and Kakashi wondered how on earth the Academy teachers were so dense to think that Naruto was dumb. He was one of the brightest strategists out there!

After communicating via hand signals, the plan was set into motion.

"Maaaaa, Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto said obnoxiously, and Kakashi's left eye twitched at his childish tone. Thank Kami that he had trained Naruto to act like a shinobi.

Kakashi sighed. "Yes?"

"Let's go faster! I'm sooooooooooo tired!" Naruto drawled. "And I don't want to run next to this baka!"

Sasuke looked genuinely offended. "That's the insult you come up with?"

Kakashi had to stifle a laugh. Of course, that's what Sasuke was offended about. Naruto narrowed his eyes and his hands flashed another sign; five minutes before arrival.

"Shut up, you dobe!" Naruto returned into his character.

Sasuke smirked, very like the boy he graduated as from the Academy. "Make me, usuratonkachi."

Three minutes before arrival.

"Oi, you-"

"Naruto, stop it."

Two minutes before arrival.

"Hai, sensei."

"Don't make faces behind my back, Naruto."

"How did you see?! Sensei!"

One minutes before arrival.

"I'm all-knowing, you see?"

Just as Kakashi was doing his jazz hands while leaping backwards, seven ninjas appeared around the genin team, closing in around them.

Kakashi sharp eyes picked up on something. The scroll they were meant to retrieve for the mission. It was with a jonin ninja.

"Take care of the chunins," Kakashi commanded. "I'll take care of the jonins."

"Hai!" Team 7 replied, and Naruto instantly summoned ten clones to help within the battle. Sasuke and Naruto wasted no time in combining their attack together, while also covering for Sakura, who slipped behind trees and lay traps.

"Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu (Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique)!" Sasuke summoned his chakra, before letting out a huge ball of fire.

Naruto grinned. "Boufuu Kyouzuu no Jutsu (Gale Surge)."

A gust of wind added to the fire, fueling the huge missile and making it already bigger than it was. Two chunin was trapped behind it, and start to run back to avoid the huge flaming weapon.

"Doton: Gou no Doro (Earth Release: Mud Moat)!" Sakura orders, slamming her hands onto the ground. The ground underneath the Oto chunin turned into mud, making it very hard to walk on it. Not even the water walking technique using chakra would work, because of its mud nature.

"Whoo-hoo!" Naruto pumped his fist into the air. "Two down, three to go!"

A chunin had snuck up on Sasuke, deeming the Uchiha the biggest threat. Sasuke, who was too hooked up on his huge fireball success, didn't see the danger until he felt the cool metal of a kunai against his neck.

"Surrender." A raspy male voice commanded.

Sasuke scowls. He should've sensed the chunin, but it didn't matter. He was going to take down the ninja. "No thank you."

Flipping over the chunin with ease, the genin engaged in a battle of taijutsu. Seeing as the Oto-nin had an advantage over him with extra experience, Sasuke opened his trump card, and his onyx eyes morphed into a ruby red.

"Sharigan." The Otogakure ninja gulped but increased his speed in attacks. Maybe he could be too fast for the genin -

Wishful thinking. Really. Sasuke had embedded a shuriken in the Oto-nin's stomach when he saw his chance. But his opponent didn't stop. Continuing to roundhouse kick and throw punches, Sasuke had to do something to stop his opponent.

What did he do?

Slice the Oto-nin's throat of course.

While the events of what Sasuke had done caught up to the young Konoha-nin, Naruto was having the same dilemma. There was a talented genjutsu user targeting the Jinchuriki, obviously because Naruto's ninjutsu couldn't be rivalled with the shadow clone technique in Uzumaki's arsenal.

"Kai!" Naruto called out for the seventh time, cursing himself on how he could fall into a genjutsu so easily.

[Kurama, I need your help.]

The fox yawned and stretched inside the mindscape. [Hit me with your worst, Kit.]

[Where is the goddamn genjutsu user?]

[Four o'clock. Seems like a girl.]

[Thanks.]

[A word of advice? These people are Oto-nin. Last time I heard, they were run by Orochimaru. Anything related to Orochimaru spells 'danger'. Get rid of her.]

[Like...kill her?]

[Your choice, Kit.]

Thinking over his choices, Naruto had to deal with the girl quickly. She was depleting her chakra pretty quickly and the way she stood so shakily; she wasn't big on taijutsu.

Knock her out...knock her out...

But when the Oto-nin lashed out, Naruto acted on instinct and spun his own kunai in his hand, deflecting the shuriken and it turned in a one-eighty degree spin, nailing itself back at the Otogakure ninja.

The shuriken landed in her forehead, killing the girl instantly.

"AHHHH!" Sakura's shriek broke into both boys' thoughts and they snapped their necks towards the last member of Team 7, to see the girl summon a Jutsu in self-defence.

"Iwa Toge Fushido no Jutsu (Rock Thorn Bed Jutsu)!"

Spikes of stone shot up from the ground and pierced the last chunin through the chest, making the Oto-nin scream out in pain before cutting off abruptly.

"I...killed him." Sakura was pale.

Team 7 stood together, the scenes from earlier replaying over and over again in their heads. This was definitely a moment to remember.

Kakashi stood up in the trees, blood on his hands. He had used Chidori four times today, and he was tired. But he kept an eye on his genin as they comforted each out, though in silence, and he played with the scroll they had to retrieve.

Mission complete. Retrieve the scroll.

Actual mission complete. Let them have their first kill.

◾◽◾◽◾◽

Author's Note

Whoo-hoo! Chappy 'leven! YAY! Onto the Chunin exam arc now...this is exciting!

Please vote and comment!

~ Magica2007


	13. Cԋαρƚҽɾ Tɯҽʅʋҽ - Cԋυɳιɳ Exαɱʂ

"Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships."

\- Michael Jordan

◾◽◾◽◾◽

Iruka Umino was half-listening to the Hokage drone on and on about Chunin exams. Sure, it was the Hokage who was talking, but it was the most boring speech ever known to man.

"Any recommendations?" The Sandaime finished, letting out a puff of smoke.

Asuma Sarutobi cleared his throat. His father looked interested. "I recommend, Ino Yamanaka, Shikamaru Nara and Choji Akimichi."

Iruka was surprised, but kind of understood. That team had a headstart on teamwork, which made it easier for Asuma to train them. All he had to do as hone the techniques from their Academy skills.

"Me too, Hokage-sama." Kurenai Yuhi stepped forwards. "I recommend Hinata Hyūga, Shino Aburame, Kiba Inuzuka."

Iruka was about to express his thoughts but the Sandaime beat him to it. "Are you very sure, Kurenai, Asuma?"

"Hai." The two jonins said in unison.

Then the Hokage turned to debatably the most powerful Konoha ninja, excluding the Hokage himself. Kakashi looked back, sighing and nodding.

"I, Kakashi Hatake, recommend Naruto Uzumaki, Sakura Haruno, and Sasuke Uchiha."

"Wait!" Iruka exclaimed, stepping forwards. "They're not ready!"

"Not ready?" Kakashi looked at the Academy teacher with little to no interest. "Why?"

"They were my students in the Academy, and those genins aren't ready for the Chunin exams! Sasuke, maybe. Sakura, maybe. But Naruto will fail! You'll destroy his spirit!" Iruka protested, looking to the Sandaime for help.

The Hokage nodded, before looking back at Kakashi. "Iruka is right, in a way."

Kakashi sighed, before locking eyes with the brunet. "They are no longer your students, Iruka Umino. You don't know how far they've improved."

"But their teamwork-"

"Is none of your concern." Kakashi's voice was now cold and strong. "They are my subordinates, not your students. I am now overlooking their progress, not you. I am their sensei, not you. Understood?"

Now Iruka realised why so many shinobi of various countries feared the Copy Ninja. When he wanted to be, Kakashi could be very intimidating and could easy always get his way. The laid back lazy ninja was just a facade.

"Hai," Iruka replied, bowing down his head.

Sandaime shook his head with a faint smile. "You are all dismissed. Asuma, Kurenai and Kakashi, you better train those fresh genin hard."

"It shouldn't be that hard." Iruka heard Kakashi mutter. "I mean, I did take the test at half their age."

"You were a prodigy," Asuma retorted, "and our students aren't."

"Sasuke is." Kakashi pointed out.

Kurenai gave him a look. "Not like you were."

Kakashi merely shrugged in return before disappearing in a poof of smoke. Of course. A clone. That Copy-nin probably didn't want to come, so he sent a clone to do it instead.

Iruka sighed and walked back towards the Academy, worried about his students - especially Naruto. Naruto was like the kid who'd always be trouble and ended up spending a lot of time with Iruka.

"He'll be fine."

Startling slightly at the sudden appearance, Iruka found himself face to face with Kakashi Hatake.

"Oh." Iruka nodded half-heartedly. "Right."

"I know you're worried about Naruto, but really, trust me. Trust him. He'll pass without a doubt." Kakashi reassured, before walking in the opposite direction and in the direction of the training grounds.

It wasn't that Iruka didn't trust Naruto, he really did believe in the small blondie, but it was Naruto. How could he not worry about him?!

Just wait and see.

◾◽◾◽◾◽

"I'm guessing you're happy to say goodbye to your home for the past two weeks?" Kakashi asked, and his genin team had mixed reactions.

"Uh...a little?" Sakura was uncertain. "I mean, it felt like home, but an extremely dangerous home."

Naruto snorted. "Who'd think that Team 7 would think that training grounds forty-four would be home?"

"Well," Sasuke gave a thoughtful look at the forest. "It was a great experience. We're much stronger."

"And better as a team," Sakura added, smiling vibrantly at her teammates.

Kakashi smiled down at the three of them proudly. "Have you decided if you wanted to attend the Chunin exams?"

"Hell yeah!" Sakura grinned. "Cha!"

Naruto nodded. "Of course, Kakashi-sensei. I would never turn down an opportunity like that!"

Sasuke merely shrugged nonchalantly, but it was obvious to his team members and his sensei he was as excited as the other two. "Whatever. I'll do it."

"Have fun, Team 7," Asuma says, walking next to the foursome.

"You guys doing it too?" Sasuke asked, seeing the members of Team 10 walking alongside their sensei.

Choji nodded while eating his bag of chips. "Yeah. Course."

"What a drag," Shikamaru yawned, "why do we have to do it?"

Asuma flicked his student's forehead while taking out his cigarette. "If you get promoted, I'll reward you with a week off."

"Maaaa," Shikamaru yawned again, "fine. C'mon, Choji. We'll celebrate with barbeque, I get my week off, and Ino can spend her week off stalking Sasuke."

Sasuke himself looked absolutely revolted with the idea of Ino walking around the village with him, and so underneath his breath, he muttered a prayer that Team 10 didn't pass.

"Baka." Sakura whacked Sasuke on the head. "Wish them luck!"

Team 10 watched in amusement as Sakura reprimanded Sasuke and Naruto simply watched from the sideline and pitched in a couple of insults to help Sakura. But the thing that was most surprising was that the Team 7 was different; they were closer. They were teammates.

"But I thought Sakura was a fangirl?" Choji whispered.

Ino blinked. "She is!"

"Isn't it obvious?" Shikamaru stretched. "She's not."

"Why?" Choji asked quietly.

Shikamaru shot his teammate a glare. "I don't know. I don't care. I don't have the energy to talk."

"Typical." Sasuke snorts and narrowly dodged another punch from Sakura, who mouthed an apology to the Nara, who didn't look at all interested.

Kakashi sighed, before ruffling the hair of all of his genin. "Stop it, you two. Naruto, stop taking photos. I'll see you once you enter."

"But-!" Naruto protested.

Sakura whirled to the Uzumaki. "Photos?!"

"Um..." Naruto glanced around for an escape route. "For your wedding?"

"Baka!" Sakura launched for the Jinchuriki and the Uchiha heir only looked smugly at Naruto when Sakura proceeded to beat the hell out of Naruto.

Kakashi sighed again, before waving goodbye to his genin team as they entered the building they were supposed to enter for the Chunin exams.

"Don't die!" Kakashi offered cheerfully as they walked away.

Naruto turned around with a grin. "Never, Kakashi-sensei!"

"Say that once you get to stage two..." Asuma muttered, and the two jonin disappeared, leaving the rookie teams by themselves.

◾◽◾◽◾◽

Author's Note

Phew. Started the Chunin exams arc! Yay! Now it's time to see a much better trained and closer Team 7 work together!

Please vote and comment!

~ Magica2007


	14. Cԋαρƚҽɾ Tԋιɾƚҽҽɳ - Pԋαʂҽ Oɳҽ

"Intelligence without ambition is a bird without wings."

\- Salvador Dali

◾◽◾◽◾◽

Team 7 walked into the building and were instantly at ease at their competition.

Such stupid genin.

It was such an easy genjutsu to see past, and even Naruto, who was the worst in Team 7 on recognising and releasing genjutsus, could tell that it was a genjutsu.

"Should we...?" Sakura whispered to her teammates, who instantly picked up on the silent message.

Sasuke shook his head. "They're getting rid of our competition."

"Evil," Naruto commented, but he had a matching smirk with the Uchiha.

"Oi!" The chunin who guarded the wrong door pointed at Team 7, who were slowly and discreetly backing out of the classroom. "Where d'you think you're going?"

Thinking quickly, Sakura smiled sheepishly. "Going to the bathroom."

"All three of you?" The chunin looked unconvinced.

Sasuke's eyes blazed up and let loose of his KI. The air crackled with electricity, making the nearby genin wary. "You think I'd let her go alone with a bunch of bastards lurking around everywhere?"

Everyone in the hallway gulped and backed away from the Uchiha, and Team 7 left without any fuss with no one interfering. 

"That was great!" Naruto elbowed Sasuke playfully, and Sasuke grinned and his whole demeanour changed. Sasuke's KI dissipated, and the three genin trudged up the stairs to reach the real level.

There stood Kakashi, reading some sort of book with a fake book cover over it, and he was waiting for his genin team.

"You couldn't have warned us?" Naruto pouted, crossing his arms.

Kakashi raised his eyebrows. "The genjutsu? No. It's part of the test."

"No," Naruto wagged a finger, "about the stupid contestants! Who the hell stands there forever?"

Giving them his closed-eye smile, Kakashi only walked over to them and ruffled their hair one more time. "Good luck, kids. Remember, work together."

"Hai, sensei." The three genin nodded in sync, before walking together into the room where the real test would begin.

"Lookie here," a voice drawled, "it's the last team of Rookie 9!"

Sasuke stiffened and turned around, eyeing the Sound ninja with an unimpressed look. "Hn."

"You are?" Sakura asked, crossing her arms. Despite her girly appearance, she could be dangerous like the boys, and she was willing to show that.

The Sound ninja sneered before turning away from Team 7, not missing the subtle shifts into defensive positions. So they weren't as incapable as the other rookies. This would be interesting.

"Yo!" Kiba made his way over. "You guys here too?"

"What does it look like, doggie?" Sasuke retorted.

Kiba eyes the Uchiha in distaste before whispering to Naruto, "How do you deal with him?"

"Eh," Naruto shrugged, "just give him some tom-"

"Shut it, usuratonkachi." Sasuke hissed, clamping a hand over Naruto's mouth.

Sakura giggled. "What? Don't want them to bribe you with toma-"

"Sakura!" Sasuke growled, a faint blush on his face. His two teammates only burst out laughing, to which he sighed and raked a hand through his hair. "Idiots."

Sakura was enraged. "What did you-"

"You're the Rookie 9?" Another Konoha-nin walked over, shuffling a deck of cards in his hand.

Naruto puffed out his chest. "Yes, we are. Who are you?"

"I'm Kabuto Yakushi, nice to meet you." The ash-grey haired boy offered a hand.

Naruto shook it. "Nice to meetcha, Kabuto."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the deck of cards. Sure, he wasn't as advanced as Naruto in recognising chakra signals and flares, but there was something off with Kabuto's deck of cards. Kabuto saw Sasuke eyeing his cards, and pulled them out.

"Here. It's got information on people in here."

"Cool," Sakura noted.

Kabuto smiled. "Want to see some people?"

"Sure." Naruto nodded.

"Pick three," Kabuto informs them, before flicking through his deck.

"Gaara," Sasuke tells him.

Kabuto hands the trio Gaara's card.

"The Sound ninja from just then."

The card for Dosu Kinota was handed over.

"Kabuto."

Kabuto choked, looking at the genin in the surprise. Did they not trust him? Did they see through his acting?!

Nevertheless, Kabuto handed over his own card, which was cast under a genjutsu to make it seem much lower than it actually was. Little did he know Sakura released the genjutsu...

◾◽◾◽◾◽

"Alright, kiddos!" A man walked forwards, looked rather intimidating. "I'm Ibiki Morino, your proctor, and from this moment, your worst enemy!"

"Worst enemy my ass," Naruto muttered. "Kakashi-sensei will always be my worst enemy."

Sasuke and Sakura nodded along, smiles on their faces. Ibiki continued to drone on about the rules, but really, he was assessing the Rookie 9. Most of them looked fresh and would probably never pass the first phase much less the second phase, but the one team that caught his attention was Team 7.

Being taught under the youngest genin, chunin, and jonin ever would definitely come out with different results. Not the mention the youngest ANBU member, youngest ANBU captain, the person who's been on more one-man missions that anyone else, and the son of Konoha's White Fang, their sensei was a very famous and strict person.

And it seems like Kakashi's team was sharp as always.

As soon as Ibiki started the test, his eyes almost bulged out at the speed the pink girl was scribbling down her answers. These questions were meant to be hard! Not even chunin would know those answers!

The Uchiha also started to write quite quickly after a moment of hesitation, his writing fast and fluid. It matched the pink girl's speed, so maybe they actually studied together.

The Uzumaki though, he seemed to be talking to himself quite a lot. The boy was like having an internal debate but jotted down his answers anyway.

Kakashi, you trained them well.

"Oi, you! Number 304!" A chunin investigator throwing a kunai at a genin. "You cheated a lot! Out! And your whole team!"

The genin stood up to defend herself, but a simple glare from Ibiki sent her wailing and screaming out of the room, with her teammates bad-mouthing her behind her.

Ibiki sighed. Maybe the Rookie 9 was better than the rest of the seasoned genin. Who knew. But none of them were out yet.

"Numbers 593, 184, 385 out!" A chunin yelled, throwing three shurikens.

Ibiki looked down at his watch. "Times up, kids."

A series of groans and curses ran through the room, but the proctor silenced them with a clear of his throat. "Enough. Now, there is one last question. Question ten."

"Ten?!" The Inuzuka kid exclaimed, the dog on his head yapping as well.

The boy next to him glared at the Inuzuka. "Shut up, Kiba."

"Now, you can choose whether to take the question or not." Ibiki mused, keeping himself entertained with a kunai knife. "I'm sure you're thinking something along the lines of why the hell someone would not take this question, but it's because of a rule."

"Which rule?" Sakura asked timidly, and Ibiki had to remind himself that this shy girl was a student of Kakashi Hatake.

Ibiki locked eyes with the pinkie. "The one where if you take this question and fail, you will never be able to take the Chunin exams ever again."

Cries of outrage went through the room, and Ibiki kept a stone face on while internally laughing at the genins' expressions.

"What do you say?" Ibiki finished, a menacing smile on his face. 

Much to his annoyance, Team 7 didn't even look fazed and the Uchiha brat even had the guts to scoff at a person who left.

Ibiki sighed and then explained that there was no question ten, and it was just to test their courage. Anko came soon after, eyeing the number of kids in the room.

"That's a lot." She noted. "Doesn't matter, I'll cut your numbers down by half!"

◾◽◾◽◾◽

Author's Note

Phase one: complete. Yay! ...is it just me, or do I tend to say 'yay' a lot in my author notes?

Please vote and comment!

~ Magica2007


	15. Cԋαρƚҽɾ Fσυɾƚҽҽɳ - Pԋαʂҽ Tɯσ...Bҽɠιɳʂ

"The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination."

\- Albert Einstein

◾◽◾◽◾◽

"Gate twelve, hmm?" Sakura mused, looked up at the gigantic two-digit number overhead.

Naruto yawned. "Who knew? Part two's hosted at home!"

"Shut up, usuratonkachi!" Sasuke hissed, clamping a hand over Naruto's mouth and glancing at the teams nearby, just in case someone overheard.

Sakura glared at the Uzumaki. "Kakashi-sensei sent a clone to us to tell us that no one should know that we've been in there!"

Naruto nodded half-heartedly. "Yeah, yeah, whatever."

"So we have the Heaven scroll," Sakura showed her teammates the white scroll, "and we need the Earth scroll."

"Easy." Naruto stretched his arms, winking at his team. "We all know this place like the back of our hand, so this phase is a snitch. All we have to do is observe which teams have the Earth scroll and one of us goes to steal it."

"That's...too easy." Sasuke had an irk mark on his forehead, trying to find out his friend's logic. Friend. He called Naruto his friend. Well, weren't they friends?

Naruto gave Sasuke a look. "Please. Kakashi-sensei trains us like we're in the freaking ANBU. He even admitted it! So we're more advanced than the others, so I think we can take on three on one. Just for a challenge, y'know?"

"But," Sakura chimed, "if you need it, call for backup, yeah?"

Sasuke opened his mouth to protest, but Sakura cut his words off with a glare. 

"Maaaaa," Naruto smiled, "we'll win. We know the limits of ourselves."

"And the training grounds were our home for about two months," Sasuke mutters, before being slightly startled when the silver fence doors opened on their own.

Naruto laughed. "Lookie here! The Uchiha heir is scared of a fen-"

"Shut it," Sasuke grumbled, before hauling his giggling teammate into the forest.

Sakura sighed, shaking her head. "Boys."

"TEME!" Naruto bellowed, and Sakura caught a glimpse of a gust of wind blowing towards the Uchiha, who desperately tried to dodge.

Sakura freaked out. "STOP WASTING YOUR FUC - FUDGING CHAKRA!"

"Oooooooh, Sakura-chan almost swore!" Naruto said innocently.

"Call me Sakura-chan one more time and-"

"Isn't it an affectionate honorific?" Sasuke asked, dusting himself off. Thankfully he didn't sustain any bad injuries, and Sakura refused to heal him as punishment. Team 7 never used honorifics with each other, they thought it was too common and wanted each other to be unique.

Naruto narrowed his eyes. "Hey. This was where Kakashi-sensei dropped me off during the first time we were in here. I know this place!"

"Got anywhere safe so we can stay the night?" Sasuke asked, glancing up at the sky. "We have about two hours before the sun sets."

"Right." Naruto nodded, before sending out waves of his chakra to determine which way to go.

Sakura was looking around, glancing at the vegetation and the plants and berries around here. The food around here thrived, and Sakura nodded to herself before quickly taking out a notebook of her herbs and plants to see which ones they could eat.

"Guys," Naruto broke out in a grin, "we've hit jackpot! I lived inside a cave for the three-week survival thing without chakra, and it's nearby! I have a stash of ninja items there as well!"

"Let's go." Sasuke nodded at Naruto and the blond boy bolted off into the trees, not one doubting that his teammates could keep up.

Sakura was flicking through her notebook while ducking under branches, following Naruto, when she realised the didn't have to hunt.

"Naruto," the green-eyed girl called out, "is it close?"

"Soon." The Jinchuriki promised.

"So, the soil and the plants are about the same?" Sakura questioned, narrowly managing to duck under a thick branch and leaping over quite a weird shaped branch afterwards.

Naruto grinned, giving his female teammate a thumbs up. "Believe it!"

Sasuke felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. "Someone's nearby."

Naruto nodded, before flashing hand signs. Oto-nin. Three of them, four o'clock behind them. Only passing; their direction is different.

Shifting into silent mode, the quiet rustles of Team 7's feet cut off, and the three genin moved quickly in complete silence. Well, unless you had the best hearing ever, you might've heard Naruto sneeze quietly, but no one did.

Passed.

Letting out a sigh, Naruto suddenly jumped down from the branch and landed softly on the ground. "We're here."

"Nice," Sakura took note of the flourishing flowers and berries nearby.

Naruto smiled. "It's how I survived Kakashi-sensei's horrible training."

Sasuke walked into a well-hidden cave, brushing away the moss and vines that Naruto had told them about. "Impressive, usuratonkachi."

"Thanks, dobe," Naruto replied, walking in after the Uchiha.

Sakura remained outside for a little bit longer, familiarising herself with the surroundings of the cave. Humming a quiet tune, Sakura memorised which edible items were around.

"Sakura!" Sasuke appeared at the entrance of the cave. "Come in."

"So, dobe will take first watch." Naruto directed, pointing at the Uchiha heir. "I'll take second watch, and Sakura can sleep."

Sakura narrowed her eyes. She didn't like being treated differently just because she was a girl.

"And Sakura will take first watch tomorrow and dobe will take the second watch and so on." Naruto finished, rushing his words, eyeing Sakura warily.

Sakura beamed. "Good idea."

"Should we hunt?" Sasuke asked, directing his question to Sakura.

The girl shook her head. "We don't need to waste any chakra or energy. There are fields of food out there, you just need to know how to use them."

"Great." Sasuke stretched. "I'll go scout out anyone with the Earth scroll."

"I'll come too." Naruto offered. "I am studying fuinjutsu, so maybe I can sense which scroll people have."

"That leaves me to hold the fort and grab some food. Good luck, bakas." Sakura said affectionately, before waving goodbye to the boys who disappeared.

"Make some good food, Sakura!" Naruto replied before the two males disappeared. 

"Don't get lost!" Sakura called out after them, before glancing at the ground. She could do Earth Release, so why not clean up the cave?

Dusting her hands after using some Justus, the ground was all clean and Sakura managed to create makeshift sleeping bags which were the spare clothes the genin had taken along with them.

"Now," Sakura said to nobody in particular, "food."

Trudging outside, Sakura made sure that the cave was properly covered, and that no one else could see it unless they studied the lump very carefully.

"Let's see...oh. Those are strawberries." Sakura peered down and brushed past a huge leaf. "They look ripe."

Reaching into her inner chakra, Sakura tentatively touched chakras with the plant. It was ripe. It would be fine in an hour or so.

Plucking an armful of strawberries and taking some stalks and leaves, Sakura walked back into the cave, before putting them all onto the ground.

"Mizu Sousetsu no Jutsu (Water Finding Skill)," Sakura muttered, and a small hole opened up in the ground and filled up with water. Man, it feels good to be able to do both Earth and Water Release.

Sakura had just washed her ingredients and created a new hole to store her food when she felt the back of her right ear burn up.

Naruto's distress call.

◾◽◾◽◾◽

Author's Note

Maaaa...I don't have enough space to write the whole of Phase Two, so I'm splitting it into different chapters. I think it's just two chapters, but we'll see how we go.

Please vote and comment!

~ Magica2007


	16. Cԋαρƚҽɾ Fιϝƚҽҽɳ - Pԋαʂҽ Tɯσ...Cσɳƚιɳυҽʂ

"Do not be afraid to change the prince's name in your story."

\- Atticus

◾◽◾◽◾◽

Sakura ran as fast as she could to where Naruto's distress call came from.

I can't be too late...I hope he's okay...

Suddenly, Sakura's right ear went freezing cold, as if it just got teleported to Antarctica. Sasuke's distress call. What could possibly be so bad that both of them had called for help?

Bursting into the clearing where the distress call had lead Sakura, she paused when she was some weird type of snake-human attack both Naruto and Sasuke. Even though it looked disgusting, the snake-human was a good fighter. 

"CHA!" Sakura yelled from above, landing a good punch infused with chakra on the snake-human, sending the thing flying.

It sighed. "Of course. The third member."

"Thank Kami you came," Naruto said with a bright smile despite panting like he had just run a marathon.

Sakura smiled faintly. "Thanks to those distress seals you created."

"I thought they didn't work." Sasuke groaned, and Sakura was instantly onto healing the broken ribs he harboured. His abdomen was littered with just and it was turning a shade of violet, and well as the weird poking out edges of his ribs.

Sakura forced down the bile that was threatening to spill from her mouth. "What happened?"

"Who's that?" Sasuke said, pointing weakly to the snake-human who was battling it out with Naruto.

Sakura narrowed her eyes, and then it hit her. "Orochimaru."

The Sannin snapped his neck to look at the pink girl, eyes boring into the genin's. "Smart one, you have there, Uchiha."

"Don't touch her!" Sasuke growled, eyes flashing red.

Sakura panicked and whacked Sasuke's head. "Stop it! Turn that wretched Kekki Genkai off! You'll kill yourself!"

"Old man!" Naruto bellowed. "Over here!"

"We need to get away," Sakura whispered. "He's a fucking Legendary Sannin, even Kakashi-sensei would have trouble getting rid of him."

[Hear that, Kit? You need to go.]

[But if I get your help, I can beat him!]

[As if. You need to learn how to control my chakra first, and then learn something called Sage Mode, and you don't have the time! Your teammates will die.]

[UGH!]

Naruto dodged Orochimaru's long tongue - how disgusting is that? - before summoning some chakra from Kurama to carry his teammates. Sakura was still healing Sasuke's ribs, and Naruto deliberately didn't look at the Uchiha's stomach.

Orochimaru could've chase Team 7 since the Jinchuriki was tiring, but he was only there to mark Sasuke and while he was at it, he had tested Kakashi Hatake's students. It seems like they're much beyond the genin title, probably an advanced chunin.

He smiled freakishly to himself.

Sasuke will be mine. I'll make sure of that.

◾◽◾◽◾◽

"What's...this?" Sakura gently brushed a finger over three dots on Sasuke's neck.

Naruto winced as Sakura worked on his broken arm. "That Orochimaru dude bit Sasuke, and that's what happened. It just changed into that."

"Weird." Sakura murmured. "We need to tell Kakashi-sensei."

"Sure," Naruto said, "and guess what this is?"

The blond boy revealed a scroll with the character that read 'EARTH'. Sakura squealed, reaching for it, before inspecting in one hand while healing Naruto with the other.

"Yes!" Sakura cheered, before finishing healing Naruto. "We'll head over there tomorrow morning-"

"We go now." Sasuke cut in, wincing as he sat up.

Naruto freaked out. "But we're both injured and Sakura's like chakra deprived and-"

"The longer this thing-" Sasuke gestures to his neck. "-stays here, I'm a danger to you guys."

Sakura and Naruto exchange a glance. Naruto asked, "Are you sure you're not chakra drained?"

"No." Sakura smiled and showed her teammates some of her extra medical ninjutsu that she could still do. "See?"

"Don't waste it," Sasuke grunted as he shakily stood up.

"Where's the tower?" Naruto asked.

Sakura stood up and beamed brightly. "I was put somewhere around the tower for the survival training, so I know where it is. Follow me!"

"Any shortcuts?" Sasuke asked, glaring at his feet as they took off into the trees.

Sakura turned around, concerned. "Are you okay?"

Sasuke offered the pink girl a soft smile. "I'll be fine."

"Stop flirting," Naruto said, "and stay alert."

"Flirting my ass," Sakura grumbled but remained quiet. Suddenly, her ear went hot and she whirled around to see Naruto doing hand signs to tell them that they were surrounded.

Sasuke groaned. "Seriously?"

"Shut up, baka!" Sakura hissed.

"No point," Naruto sighed, shooting glances around the trio. "They're like spying on us. Terrible stealth skills though."

Without a warning, Naruto threw a kunai and nailed an Otogakure ninja's hair. It was a guy, who looked stunned for a second before his face turned into a scowl.

"Baka." Sasuke spat. "Can't even hide properly."

Because Team 7 was battered from their fight with Orochimaru, they turned around and kept running away, knowing that a fight would only delay them getting to the tower as fast as possible.

"They're not relenting," Naruto sighed, "Sasuke. Let's do it."

"Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu (Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique)!" Sasuke yelled, hands flying through the seals.

Naruto grinned like a fox. "Boufuu Kyouzuu no Jutsu (Gale Surge)!" 

A huge fireball lit up the forest, and all throughout the training grounds, everyone could feel the impact the fireball had once it hit the ground.

"Man," Naruto whistled, "we've gotten better."

"Much." Sakura agreed, eyeing the huge patch of burnt trees as they ran away. 

Sasuke grunted. "More people behind us."

"Three o'clock, actually." Naruto corrected. "Oh, and there's a familiar chakra behind them. I forgot...who was the one using shadows again?"

Sakura sighed, rolling her eyes. "Shikamaru, baka."

"Riiiiiight," Naruto smiled sheepishly, "I totally knew that."

"Konoha-nin is wretched!" A foreign ninja exclaimed, hiding behind Sasuke.

Team 7 froze, as Team 10 and another team from a different country burst from the trees, engaged in intense. 

"Yeah," Sasuke mused, "I disagree."

The ninja hiding behind the Uchiha whined, "What? How can you?! Oh! They're part of Rookie 9, wanna help us?"

"Too bad." The Uchiha sneered. "I'm part of Rookie 9."

"Huh-"

Swinging around with a roundhouse kick, Sasuke hit the ninja in the face, sending him flying. His teammates turned around and glared at Sasuke, forgetting their opponents and charging for the Uchiha.

"Amegakure," Sakura whispers. "Rain ninja."

"Maaaaa," Naruto shrugged while dodging a kunai, "they can't be that bad."

Within five minutes with help from Team 10, the Ame-nin were tied up against trees and knocked out cold.

"I take that back," Naruto announces. "They can be that bad."

"Thanks," Choji says with a thumbs up, but his stomach ruined the moment. "Damn it, I'm so hungry!"

"You should hunt then," Sasuke replied while inspecting the three Amegakure ninjas.

Shikamaru yawns and Ino smacks his head before turning to Sasuke while batting her eyelashes. "Where are you guys off to?"

"Tower." Naruto spilled. 

Shikamaru was alert almost instantly, and it was surprising at how fast he turned to look at Team 7. "Tower?"

"Let's go," Sakura said slowly, before dragging the boys after her.

"After them." Ino shrieked. "They have two scrolls!"

"NARUTO YOU BAKA!" Sakura screamed but didn't move to slow down as they were getting closer to the tower.

Naruto rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Sorry, Sakura."

◾◽◾◽◾◽

Author's Note

There we go, *clapping my hands together*, end of chapter fifteen! Alright, time to move on...

Please vote and comment!

~ Magica2007


	17. Cԋαρƚҽɾ Sιxƚҽҽɳ - Pԋαʂҽ Tɯσ...Eɳԃʂ

"The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you need to put up with the rain."

\- Dolly Parton

◾◽◾◽◾◽

"You're back...extremely early." 

Anko Mitarashi was confused. This task was meant to be hard, but within the first twenty-four hours, a team had already finished.

"Hai." The blond boy replied. "Here's the scrolls, now can we go see our sensei?"

"No need." A voice said from behind. "I'm right here, my little genin."

Anko's insides froze as a familiar silver-haired man walked into her line of vision. Kakashi Hatake. He was famous for everything he's done, and really, he did it all under the age of eighteen.

"Kakashi-sensei." The three genin bowed in sync.

"Hullo." Kakashi waved.

The pink-haired girl looked up first. "Kakashi-sensei, we bumped into someone during the task."

"Hmm?" Kakashi looked at his team. "Who?"

"Orochimaru." The three of them said at once.

Anko found herself analysing the necks of all of the genin, looking for a Curse Mark. She also unconsciously touched her own, rubbing it gently.

"Oi, teme!" Naruto jabbed Sasuke lightly in the ribs. "She's got the same thing!"

"Same thing?" Anko asked, voice cool.

Kakashi's eyes narrowed. "A Curse Mark?"

"Hai." Sakura nods. "I compared it with my notes, it's a Curse Mark. And we definitely faced the Sannin, Orochimaru."

"Show me." Kakashi gestures and Sasuke walks forwards before turned around to Kakashi faced the Curse Mark.

Sakura and Naruto stood next to Sasuke, both looking at it in interest, but left enough space for their teacher. Anko watched this in silence, and she marvelled at how subtle movements from the Copy-nin could be translated as orders to the genin.

"I'll have to seal it." Kakashi finally said, after moments of silence.

Naruto suddenly bounced up, eyes alight. "Are you going to use the Fuja Hoin (Evil Sealing Method)? I was studying them the other day!"

Anko again was surprised. This small genin knew about the Fuja Hoin? Amazing. What was this guy teaching the kids?

"Yes, Naruto." Kakashi ruffled up the blond's hair. "C'mon, this way. I'll need to set something up."

"Hai!" The three genin said together, walking behind their sensei.

"Hold on," Anko questioned, "all three of you are going to go? It's more effective if only the sealer and the bearer of the mark went."

"Really?" The pink-haired girl looked up at her sensei.

Kakashi shrugged. "I don't know. Anko's the expert."

"Yes. So for the best results, the Uchiha would go with Hatake by himself." Anko confirmed, surprised when she saw the pink girl's face fall, and the blond boy's expression turns sour.

Kakashi smiled from under the mask, before tossing Sakura a key. "Here. It's my apartment. Get something to eat and rest, I'll bring Sasuke back."

"Hai!" The two genin chorused, before leaving. "See you later, Sasuke."

"Bye." The Uchiha waves with a faint smile before following his sensei out of the room and somewhere else. 

Anko sighed.

She still had to stay here until the five days were up.

◾◽◾◽◾◽

"My adorable little genin," Kakashi sang, "I have something for you to do!"

Team 7 were incredibly bored since they had finished early. Sakura didn't even look up from her book, not even sensing her teacher walks into the room. Sasuke was weightlifting in the corner with Naruto running on the treadmill. It had been like this for the past three days.

"So, the last day of part two and I was thinking we could scare some genin." Kakashi continued, knowing that he didn't have the attention of every one of his genin.

"Scare genin?" Naruto was interested. "How?"

"Maaa, we have a spar, of course." Kakashi grinned.

Sasuke placed down his weights, stretching afterwards. "Spar? I'm in."

"Inside the Forest of Death," Kakashi added, and Sakura looked up from her book, placing a bookmark inside before snapping shut the medical ninjutsu book. 

"Forest of Death?" Sakura yawned. "But the Chunin exams are-"

"We'll do it during the Chunin exams," Kakashi explained. "I ran it by the Hokage, and he said it was fine. We're going to battle it out just in front of the tower, so when genin come by they'll see us fight. It's like another stage in the test, we'll see if they join in or not."

"Joining in would be stupid," Sakura mutters, before standing up. "Let's do this."

"Race you!" Naruto said, before bolting out of the door.

Kakashi shook his head. "That boy never learns, does he?"

And poof, the clone was gone, leaving Sasuke and Sakura alone in the room.

◾◽◾◽◾◽

"Right. Two bells, as always." Kakashi held up the two familiar bells, and the three genin jogged on the spot to warm up. "Same rules. Let's do this. Start."

"Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu (Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique)!" Sasuke yelled, aiming straight for the jonin.

"Boufuu Kyouzuu no Jutsu (Gale Surge)!" Naruto yelled in sync, pushing the fireball to go faster and to become larger.

Sakura narrowed her eyes. "Iwa Toge Fushido no Jutsu (Rock Thorn Bed Jutsu)!"

Gigantic spikes shot up from the ground, and the silver-haired jonin had no problem dodging them, it was just gigantic fireball's perfect timing that annoyed the Copy Ninja. But whatever. At least their teamwork was working. 

The fireball landed on the ground, and just like the last time the two boys had combined attacks, the shockwave that was sent out rattled the whole training ground.

"Maaaa, you're going all out," Kakashi said from behind the two boys.

Naruto sighed. "Substitution?"

"Guessed right." Kakashi smiled. "There's a lot of leaves and rocks to substitute with."

Kakashi's sixth sense flared, and he wasted no time in blocking a series of shurikens. This particular accuracy and speed could only be sent by Sasuke, which meant that the Sasuke that was supposedly in front of him was a clone or a henge on one of Naruto's clones. Most likely the second option.

"Doton: Moguragakure no Jutsu (Earth Release: Hiden Mole Jutsu)," Kakashi whispered before the ground underneath him turned into sand and he dove inside, using his senses to detect the magnetic waves to know where he was.

"Damn it," Kakashi just managed to be able to hear Naruto, but was terribly close to the surface so any wrong move could cost him his position. "We lost him!"

"He's underground," Sakura informed them. "I saw the Jutsu he used."

Kakashi smiled proudly. Yes, he had known Sakura was nearby watching him like a hawk, but he was Kakashi Hatake of the Sharigan. If he was any lesser, then he would've probably been too focused on the shuriken attack and henge to be able to sense her.

Then Kakashi felt pressure from above. Ah. Sasuke's foot. 

"Doton: Shinju Zanshu no Jutsu (Earth Release: Headhunter Jutsu)!" Kakashi hissed, his hands blurring together as he went through the seals quickly. 

Grabbing onto the Uchiha's foot, Kakashi yanked Sasuke down into the ground as it solidified leaving only Sasuke's head above ground and dodged a kick from Naruto while block Sakura's punch. They're getting good. Just how effective was my training?

"Good effort-" Kakashi blocked Naruto punch. "-but not good-" He ducked under a kunai from Sakura. "-enough."

"Damn!" Naruto cursed and Kakashi retaliated with a sweep of his leg and knocked Naruto onto the ground whereas Sakura jumped backs. During her short time in the air, she focused her chakra into a genjutsu.

"Fusenmei Genzo (Vision Blur)," Sakura whispers just before her feet hit the ground, and grin in satisfaction as her sensei starts to wobble on his feet.

But alas, he was Kakashi, the Copy Ninja. "Kai."

The sudden vision blur and dizziness disappeared, and Kakashi just managed to block a fire attack from Sasuke who had escaped from the earth Jutsu.

"Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu (Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique)." Sasuke hissed, eyes narrowed.

Naruto, seeing his chance, joined in. "Boufuu Kyouzuu no Jutsu (Gale Surge)." 

"Oh, schist," Kakashi muttered. His shadow clone disappeared with a poof, but the trajectory of the great fireball was going straight towards the tower. Leaping to the tower easily and facing the fireball, Kakashi motioned for the training to be over, and the three genin instantly ran over.

"We," Kakashi pointed to the fireball which was coming towards them, "need to deal with that before Hokage-sama kills me for destroying the tower."

"Hai." The three genin said together.

"Boufuu Kyouzuu no Jutsu (Gale Surge)!" Naruto bellowed, and it made the fireball slow down and fall towards the ground.

Kakashi shook his head. "It's still to close."

"Doton: Doryuheki (Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall)!" Sakura called, slamming her hands onto the ground and creating quite an impressive wall. Kakashi still shook his head.

Sasuke inhaled before shooting out water from his mouth. "Suiton: Teppoudama (Water Release: Bullet)!"

Despite knowing that Sasuke's affinity was lightning, Kakashi has yet to teach him any lightning jutsus simply because the boy could do fire, and needed something to counter the fire which results in the water jutsus.

"Good." Kakashi smiles at his students, who looked absolutely exhausted, but proud. "Now, you need to prepare for part three of the Chunin exams."

◾◽◾◽◾◽

Author's Note

Yes! Finished phase two of the Chunin exams! Now...onto the tournament! Should I mix up some of the competitors?

Please vote and comment!

~ Magica2007


	18. Cԋαρƚҽɾ Sҽʋҽɳƚҽҽɳ - Pɾҽʅιɱιɳαɾιҽʂ

"Good friends are hard to find, harder to leave, and impossible to forget."

\- G. Randolf

◾◽◾◽◾◽

Phase three arrived.

Sort of.

"Kami," Naruto groaned, "we have to do preliminary rounds?!"

"Too many people passed," Sakura mumbled.

Sasuke scowled. "How is that possible? They shouldn't have that many scrolls!"

"Too many people passed the first phase as well," Sakura muttered, looking glum. The three members of Team 7 were annoyed that they had to participate in the preliminary rounds since they were the first team to exit the Forest of Death with the second team only coming out on the fourth day.

Kakashi walked over, nose buried in a book. Seeing the brooding attitude all three genin had, he sighed and whacked them on the head - he had to compromise for Sakura, it felt weird to whack a girl so he just ruined her hair.

"Cheer up kiddos," Kakashi smiled, "you'll probably win so...yay!"

"But Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto whined, and received an extra hit.

"Stop acting like a four-year-old, Naruto. Shinobi have limits." Kakashi sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. Usually, when he did that, it was a sign of annoyance and unless the genin had a death wish, they'd stop whatever they were doing.

"It's starting," Sakura said, changing the subject, eyeing her sensei.

Naruto squinted at the screen. "Oh look. Sasuke's first up, with...er...Yoroi? Who's that?"

"Baka," Sakura sighed, "someone on Kabuto's team. Now, Sasuke, no chakra. Hmm?"

"Hai, hai..." Sasuke nodded as Sakura gave him a glare, which kind of reminded him of his mother. Dead mother, now. 

Just thinking about the Uchiha massacre made Sasuke was to vomit up his intestines, but it wasn't as bad as before. Before he wanted to kill Itachi so bad that he would've probably murdered whoever was dumb enough to piss him off.

"Go out there and win it, dobe!" Naruto winked.

Sasuke smiled faintly. "Whatever you say, usuratonkachi."

Sasuke jumped down from the railing with no difficulty, surprising most people. Kakashi, who had moved to stand next to the Hokage, rolled his eyes and muttered something about theatrics that made Hiruzen laugh quietly.

"Alight. Sasuke Uchiha and Yoroi Akado." Hayate, the proctor for the new round, cleared his throat. "Rules are basically no killing. You can forfeit in any possible way, and that includes mind control from your opposition. Ready?"

"Hai." The two genin nodded.

Hayate coughed into his elbow. "Sorry. Go!"

Leaping forwards, Yoroi lunged for the Uchiha, who simply dodged gracefully and delivered a kick to Yoroi's side, sending the ninja flying. Cursing, Yoroi stumbled out of the way as Sasuke landed a chakra infused punch. 

The Uchiha shuddered from the pain the Curse Mark created, before reprimanding himself for using chakra. This fight was going to take longer than Sasuke wanted, but he was going to win. If he could only use taijutsu, he'd only use taijutsu.

Yoroi lunged for Sasuke again and managed to graze one finger on the skin of the Uchiha, and sucked up around five per cent of his chakra. It wasn't much but would do some damage.

Sasuke cocked his head to the side. "Are you taking my chakra?"

"Glad you noticed." Yoroi sneered, before launching himself forwards, aiming for the genin.

Sasuke let out a laugh, disorientating Yoroi. "How unfortunate for you. I'm not intending on using chakra in this fight."

Having seen Kakashi train, Sasuke picked up on one specific taijutsu move, but only copied the first few moves. But he did know he had to move fast if he wanted to do whatever he planned to do, so Sasuke kept dodging swiftly, taunting Yoroi as he went.

"Not using chakra?" Hayate murmured, shooting a glance at Kakashi, who didn't look at all tense for someone whose student was in a battle.

Hiruzen was surprised too, and so he turned to Kakashi. "No chakra? Did you give him that idea?"

"No." Kakashi sighed. "He's gotten the Curse Mark. Anko's trying to find out how Orochimaru got into the grounds in the first place, but right now..."

"Curse Mark?" Hiruzem's eyes narrowed as they went back to the Uchiha, who had just come victorious after doing a move that looked very similar to Guy's student's Front Lotus. He would have to keep an eye on that specific genin.

Hayate coughed before cleaning himself up. "And the victory goes to Sasuke Uchiha of the Leaf!"

"Congrats!" A pink-haired girl exclaimed, jumping past the railing and instantly activating her medical ninjutsu.

Kakashi smiled, clearing his throat. "Sakura-"

"You finally won, you teme." Naruto drawled, though his smile told a different story. "Took you long enough."

"You try doing it without chakra." Sasuke shot back.

"Clear the platform, please." Hayate called out. "And Sasuke Uchiha needs to go to a medic-"

"I'll be fine." Sasuke interrupts, showing the jonin his recently healed body. "Sakura knows what she's doing."

"Very well. Next is Ino of the Leaf and Tenten of the Leaf." 

Hayate was going to keep an eye on Team 7. Sure, they weren't labelled as geniuses except for the Uchiha, but the girl's medical ninjutsu was amazing and the sheer amount of chakra the boy radiated was enough to tell Hayate that these genins wouldn't stay genin for long.

"Next is Zaku of the Sound and Shino of the Leaf."

"Misumi of the Leaf and Kankuro of the Sand."

"Sakura of the Leaf and Temari of the Sand."

"You're so going down." Temari sneered, leaning on her fan. 

Sakura merely shrugged in response, before engaging the Sand kunoichi in an intense battle of taijutsu. Surprised at the girl's grace and speed, Temari withdrew quickly and decided to make it a battle from a distance.

"Man," Temari narrowed her eyes, "you're good."

Sakura winked. "Iwa Toge Fushido no Jutsu (Rock Thorn Bed Jutsu)."

Spikes of various sizes shot up from the ground, almost impaling Temari if the Sand kunoichi didn't jump up and keep herself elevated with her fan. 

"Futon: Kakeami (Wind Release: Cast Net)." Temari commanded, and the air formed a sort of net that propelled towards Sakura, who was already flying through seals.

"Doton: Doryuheki (Earth Release: Earth-style Wall)!" Sakura slammed her hands onto the ground and surprised everyone except her teammates and how sturdy and large her wall was. The attack from Temari did little damage to the wall, and Sakura used that to her advantage. 

Hands blurring together at the speed of her seals, Sakura gathered up enough chakra to be able to her next attack.

Running up the wall, Sakura managed to reach the top of her earth wall and crouch there, before directing her chakra towards her opponent.

"Fusenmei Genzo (Vision Blur)." Sakura hissed, and Temari blinked her eyes, obviously experiencing blurred vision. 

Sakura grinned in triumph. "Iwa Toge Fushido no Jutsu (Rock Thorn Bed Jutsu)."

Controlling the thorns with immense concentration, Sakura managed to get her thorns to pin Temari into a position where the Sand kunoichi couldn't move, and the fan lay behind the wall of thorns, out of reach.

"The victory goes to Sakura Haruno of the Leaf!" Hayate called, just as impressed as everyone else in the arena. Kakashi walked forwards to congratulate her before the next match continued.

"Shikamaru of the Leaf and Kin of the Sound!"

"Hinata of the Leaf and Neji of the Leaf."

"Gaara of the Sand and Rock Lee of the Leaf!"

"Choji of the Leaf and Kiba of the Leaf!"

Naruto groaned.

"Seems like you're last, usuratonkachi," Sasuke said, yawning. "We have to watch all of these boring matches just to see yours."

"I didn't ask to be last!" Naruto moaned.

Sakura tapped her chin. "Well, you're up against Dosu from Sound. Always analyse your opponent before fighting, baka. Okay?"

"Got it, got it." Naruto nodded.

"Last match! Naruto of the Leaf and Dosu of the Sound!"

◾◽◾◽◾◽

Author's Note

So sorry about putting Naruto's match later, I reached my word limit and so I pushed it for later! Thanks for reading so far!

Please vote and comment!

~ Magica2007


	19. Cԋαρƚҽɾ Eιɠԋƚҽҽɳ - Sҽɳʂҽι

"It always seems impossible until it's done."

\- Nelson Mandela

◾◽◾◽◾◽

"Aw man," Kiba sighed, "I wish I went against Naruto instead!"

"You got Choji." Shikamaru yawned. "Good enough. I had that weird girl from Sound."

"But Naruto's like, I don't know, the ultimate easy route!" Kiba exclaimed, leaning forward onto the railing.

Shikamaru opened one eye. "You never know. His chakra keeps becoming higher and higher every time he comes back from training."

"Alright!" Naruto bellowed from down on the platform. "I'll win this, dattebayo!"

"See?" Kiba pointed, sighing. 

Shikamaru, however, was actually interested in a fight for once. He suspected that the jonins could tell, but since he was a Nara, he was the only one who could see that Naruto was letting his opponent underestimate him.

Maybe this fight could be interesting.

Dosu rolled his eyes. "Oh really? I'll tell you something. My arm create soundwaves that can kill you, kid. I'll test them out on you!"

"Rule one of this lesson." Naruto cleared his throat, before taking on a horrible mimicked voice of Kakashi Hatake. "Never tell your opponent your skills and weapons."

Shikamaru saw Kakashi Hatake's eyebrow twitch, but there was some sort of pride in the way the sensei looked at his student. Ah, now this was interesting. Naruto, teaching someone? Nah. Would never miss that.

"Is it just me, or is Naruto different?" Kiba whispered, looking at the blond in confusion.

Shikamaru yawned again. "Not just you."

"Dickhead." Dosu growled, before unravelling his arm and activating it. "Have fun in hell."

"Rule two." Naruto put up two fingers. "Never use your trump card first up."

There were visible soundwaves that advanced towards Naruto. It would be game over for the Uzumaki if the soundwaves hit him, but Shikamaru could tell by his stance that Naruto was getting ready for a Jutsu.

"Boufuu Kyouzuu no Jutsu (Gale Surge Jutsu)!" Naruto called out, wincing as his chakra didn't come out right, but forced the Jutsu out nevertheless.

The wind blew away the sound waves, directing it back to Dosu, who shut off his arm-machine instantly. 

"Interesting..." Dosu mused.

Naruto then put up three fingers. "Rule three. Last one."

Dosu snarled at the blond who dared to try and teach him. This wimpy genin was nothing against the shinobi from Otogakure! Or so Dosu thought. Shikamaru's eyes narrowed at Naruto's defensive stance. What other Jutsu did the Uzumaki have up his sleeve?

"Never underestimate your enemy." Naruto's eyes narrowed. "Futon: Reppu-Ookami (Wind Release: Gale Wolf)!"

A wolf formed out of thin air, before charging at Dosu, who fumbled to get his arm working. Instead, the sound waves passed harmlessly through the wolf, who was made up of air.

Snarling and snapping, the wolf tackled Dosu in one leap, before Naruto followed quickly and placed kunai on the Sound shinobi's neck.

"You lose," Naruto whispered.

"This battle goes to Naruto of the Leaf!" Hayate congratulated the boy, and Naruto nodded in thanks before almost passing out into his sensei's arms.

"Amazing..." Kiba's mouth was wide open. "He's so good!"

"Now you're happy you got Choji?" Shikamaru said dryly.

Kiba nodded. "Jeez, Naruto's got some moves."

"Naruto-baka!" Sakura jumped down from the railing and rushed to the blond boy's aid. "What's happening?"

"Who knew Sakura could care for someone other than Sasuke?" Shikamaru remarked, watching Team 7 surround the Jinchuriki.

"I can care for a lot of other people, Shikamaru Nara." Sakura shot, glaring at Shikamaru, who had moved to exit the room.

Shikamaru simply shrugged before yawning again and leaving the room, mind whirling. Team 7 was good. There was no doubt in that. Sasuke Uchiha had defeated his opponent with just taijutsu, Sakura won without even using up all of her chakra, and Naruto taught a freaking lesson while fighting.

Maaaaa, he'd think about it after he took a nap.

◾◽◾◽◾◽

"Those who have passed," Hiruzen announced the next day, "which are, Sasuke, Ino, Shino, Kankuro, Sakura, Shikamaru, Gaara, Kiba, and Naruto, you have one month to prepare for the Finals. Good luck."

"Hai!" All eight genin chorused, before splitting up to find their respectful jonins all scattered around training field one, the biggest training field there was.

Kakashi stood to the side, trying very hard to avoid an over-enthusiastic Might Guy, who was trying to get Kakashi into a challenge.

"No thanks," Kakashi sighed, "try tomorrow."

"Oh but my youthful rival, please!" Guy pretty much had tears in his eyes. "PLEASE!"

"No," Kakashi said shortly, before smiling and waving at his approaching genin. "Yo."

"Sensei!" Sakura chirped. "I won!"

"I saw it," Kakashi ruffed up her hair, "you did great. And Naruto, I'm going to say this for the next time. If Orochimaru ever goes near you or even goes as far as to attempt to seal your chakra, you are telling someone. Understood?"

"Hai..." Naruto nodded sheepishly. "I just though because Sasuke got bitten-"

"That doesn't make you any less of a priority!" Sakura scolded. "Naruto!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Naruto rubbed the back of his neck.

"Anyways, I have some people for you to work with." Kakashi winked at his students. "Naruto, you've got someone who can deal with that seal that you have, Sakura, I pulled in a favour with a medical-nin, and Sasuke, you'll train with a friend. Hmm?"

"Sounds good," Sakura replied. "When are we going to see our new senseis?"

"Now." Kakashi smiled and gestured to three people behind him, who had just entered the training field.

"Ah! Look at her breasts! It looks absolutely perfec-"

"Shut up!" A woman sighed. "Just...stop being such a pervert!"

A white-haired man pouted, before exclaiming in glee as he saw Kakashi. "Ah! Mini-Sakumo! Hey!"

"Jiraiya," Kakashi replied dryly. "Did I just hear you commenting on women's chests?"

"Nah." Jiraiya shrugged it off.

Kakashi smiled while shaking his head. "Naruto, this is Jiraiya. He's going to be your sensei for the month. Behave, both of you."

"Nice to meet you, I'm going to be the future Hokage!" Naruto beamed, holding out a hand.

Jiraiya momentarily froze on the spot, seeing so much of Minato and Kushina in the kid. But he unfroze, smiling back at the kid and instead of shaking Naruto's hand, he ruffled the boy's blond hair. "Cool. I'm Jiraiya, one of the legendary Sannin and the Toad Sage!"

"More like Pervy Sage," Naruto replied snarkily.

"Ooooh," the woman beside Jiraiya said, "I like this one."

"Sakura," Kakashi gestured to the woman, "this is my friend. Katsumi Kato. She's the sister to Shizune, who's the apprentice of Tsunade. Katsumi learnt under Tsunade before her younger sister did, and she worked with me in the ANBU."

"Hey, Sakura." Katsumi smiled, her black hair tied back in a braid. 

Sakura bowed. "Hello, Katsumi-sensei."

"And lastly, Sasuke." Kakashi pointed to the man behind the two newly introduced teachers. "This is Genma, another person who worked with me in the ANBU. He'll teach you how to use the senbon and sharpen up your taijutsu skills."

"Sensei." Sasuke stiffly bowed to the man, and Genma nodded down at him.

Kakashi waved. "I'll be off."

"Where are you going, Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asked, but the man had disappeared already.

Katsumi sighed. "He's got some ANBU stuff to cover. I think he's rejoining temporarily for some mission that the Hokage wants him to do."

"Alright, old man!" Naruto pointed a finger at Jiraiya. "Let's get training!"

"I'm not that old!" The Sannin protested but followed after the Uzumaki as Naruto walked off into a corner of the field.

Katsumi smiled. "Yeah right. You trained Kakashi's sensei, and now you're training Kakashi's student!"

"Shut up!" Jiraiya yelled back. "Just because you're Tsunade's favourite little niece doesn't mean I'll kick your ass!"

"I'd like to see you try, old man!" Katsumi called, before turning to Sakura with a smile on her face. "Let's get training."

"Hai!" Sakura said cheerfully, before following the medical-nin towards the hospital, where they were going to train with their medical ninjutsu.

"That leaves you and me." Genma yawned. "So I'm doing taijutsu and senbon, huh? Alright."

"What's so good about senbon anyways?" Sasuke grumbled.

Genma's eyes twinkled. "Throw a kunai at my face."

"What?" Sasuke was baffled.

"Just do it." Genma gestures to his face. "Aim here. Throw as hard as you can."

"Okay...?" Sasuke threw a kunai as hard as he could at Genma's face, and the jonin twisted the senbon in his mouth and shot it with such speed and strength that it met the kunai in the air and stopped it.

Sasuke was surprised. Maybe his mouth wasn't open and he wasn't gaping, but Genma was a good enough face-reader of people who don't show emotion - ahem, Kakashi when he was in the ANBU - to tell that Sasuke was surprised.

"Wanna learn it now?" Genma asked with a smirk, to which Sasuke merely grumbled something about show-offs and grudgingly agreed to learn under Genma.

◾◽◾◽◾◽

Author's Note

And yes...I may have ruined the story with my OC (Katsumi), but I swear it's for a good cause! No, she is not going to be paired up with Kakashi. Reminder: this isn't a love story, this is a rewrite of the whole Naruto timeline!

Please vote and comment!

~ Magica2007


	20. Cԋαρƚҽɾ Nιɳҽƚҽҽɳ - Tɾαιɳιɳɠ Mσɳƚԋ

"She was unstoppable, not because she did not have any failures or doubts, but because she continued despite them."

\- Beau Taplin

◾◽◾◽◾◽

Kakashi had finished his ANBU mission, finally understanding what the Hokage meant by when Team Sen needed his help.

"You are relieved of your ANBU duties," Hiruzen said formally.

Kakashi bowed. "Arigato, Hokage-sama."

Taking off his ANBU mask, he let his hands trace the outline of it, remembering those missions he did in the past, all of them wearing this mask.

"What are you going to do now?" Hiruzen asked, inhaling through his pipe.

Kakashi grinned, tucking away the mask. "Check up on my adorable genins."

"Very well." Hiruzen smiled. "Off you go."

◾◽◾◽◾◽

First was Naruto.

He was with Jiraiya, so probably near the hot springs. Wincing, Kakashi made his way to the hot springs, and he was right. There was the famous Sannin ogling at naked girls' bodies and Naruto focused on talking with a...toad? Did Jiraiya already get him to sign the toad scroll?

"Sup, Naruto." Kakashi waved, sauntering in and standing next to Naruto.

The Uzumaki looked up the man blankly, not recognising his sensei from the ANBU uniform. "ANBU? Huh? Ohhhhh! Kakashi-sensei!"

"Hey." Kakashi chuckled.

Naruto jumped up, showing his sensei the orange toad in his hand. "This is Gamakichi! He's my personal summon."

"Hi," Gamakichi said awkwardly, not knowing who this tall and intimidating man was. He was wearing the ANBU clothing, and his chakra was well-controlled, and what else was off-putting was that he wore a mask.

Kakashi smiled from under the mask. "I'm Kakashi. This idiot's sensei before I had to run some errands for the Hokage."

"Hey!" Naruto pouted. "I'm not an idiot! Pervy Sage, I'm not an idiot, right?"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Jiraya said from where he was peeking.

Kakashi sighed before walked over there and yanked the Sannin back by his long white hair, giving the older man an unimpressed look. "What do you think you're doing? In front Naruto, a minor, no less?"

"Researching?" Jiraiya defended weakly. "For my Icha Icha series!"

"As much as I like reading your books," Kakashi saw Naruto's horrified look, "no research that includes looking at naked people, you idiot!"

And with those words, the former ANBU captain tossed the legendary Sannin across the ground like it wasn't a big deal. Naruto cheered from the side, earning a scowl and glare from Jiraiya. Kakashi merely smirked, knowing that Jiraiya wouldn't try anything.

"Oh, and Kakashi-sensei! I can summon Gamabunta!" Naruto said excitedly. "I'm so going to win the third phase!"

"Gamabunta, hmm?" Kakashi raised his eyebrows up at Jiraiya, who sighed.

"He already knew about the Tailed-Beast, so I just forced him to use it," Jiraiya said. "It may have been too efficient, he used a huge burst and summoned Gamabunta."

"He threw me into a...a...thing to die!" Naruto protested, flailing his hands around.

Kakashi chuckled again, before ruffling Naruto's hair. "I'm going to go check up on Sasuke and Sakura, keep training!"

"Hai, sensei!" Naruto beamed.

"And he called you sensei, but me Pervy Sage." Kakashi heard Jiraiya grumbled, before disappearing in a swirl of leaves.

◾◽◾◽◾◽

Next was Sasuke.

Knowing Genma, Kakashi walked towards training ground one, undoubtedly the largest training ground. Genma was probably making Sasuke run around and around the field until the Uchiha dropped down unconscious of exhaustion.

Sneaking up on Sasuke, Kakashi placed a hand on the boy's shoulder, wanting to see the reaction. Sasuke instantly went to flip whoever it was, but Kakashi simply landed on his feet lightly.

"Nice," Kakashi praised. "Genma's training you well."

"Of course I am," Genma snorts while walking over, "why else would you get me to train him?"

"Kakashi-sensei?" Sasuke looked wide-eyed up at the silver-haired man. Something was different about him. Maybe it was the ANBU uniform, but he seemed...more powerful and stronger.

Kakashi smiled at the Uchiha heir. "Who else would it be?"

"Now," Genma glared at Kakashi, "as much as I'd love for you two to catch up, the kid has training to do. C'mon, kid."

"Hai, senpai." Sasuke nods.

Kakashi's eyebrows shoot up. "Senpai?"

"I'm not that old," Genma replies. "Also, you're his sensei."

"Brings back memories." Kakashi smiled.

"Nice to see you back, Hatake-senpai." Genma winked, before barking at Sasuke for a round of pushups.

Kakashi scowled. "Get down and do fifty one-handed pushups. Now."

"What - Kakashi - no-"

"Now," Kakashi leaned forwards to whisper, "Viper."

Genma widens his eyes and inhales sharply. "Yes, Captain."

Sasuke was surprised when his senpai suddenly got on the ground and started to do one-handed pushups while cursing Kakashi and something about his ANBU captain-y attitude.

"Senpai?" Sasuke inquired between pushups.

Genma growled. "Don't ask."

"I'll leave you boys to it!" Kakashi waved, before walking off, whistling an unknown tune. Genma hissed under his breath a series of curses, mostly because he was angry that his body couldn't do the pushups. He was behind on his own training.

◾◽◾◽◾◽

Lastly, Sakura.

Kakashi was perhaps the most interested in Sakura's progress. He knew that Katsumi was a tough teacher and Sakura had a lot of potential but just couldn't find anything to tap into it. The duo was probably at the hospital, and so that's where he went.

"Hello," Kakashi smiled at the receptionist, "do you know where Katsumi Kato and Sakura Haruno are?"

"Third floor." The receptionist says helpfully, before smiling back at the shinobi. "Should I tell them you're coming?"

"Nah." Kakashi saluted to the receptionist. "I'll surprise them."

Walking up the stairs since he couldn't be bothered to wait for the elevator, Kakashi got many weird looks since he was wearing his ANBU uniform without his mask. Scowling at all those people, he sighed in relief as soon as he saw the familiar tall and slim build accompanied with a black French braid.

"How's it going?" Kakashi asked, startling Sakura.

The pink-haired girl's glare morphed into a bright smile. "Kakashi-sensei!"

"It's going good," Katsumi replied, smiling as Sakura wrapped Kakashi in a hug.

"I haven't seen you in so long, sensei!" Sakura exclaimed. "And you look so different in ANBU clothing!"

Kakashi chuckled. "I'm taking that as a compliment."

"You take everything was a compliment." Katsumi snorts, before crossing her arms. "Are you done intruding yet? We have a surgery to get to, Bakashi."

Kakashi scowled at the medical-nin. "I thought I had escaped that nickname."

"Bakashi!" Katsumi sang, and Sakura looked amused at Kakashi's growing anger.

"Whatever." Kakashi took in deep breaths to calm himself. "Do whatever you need to do. Sakura, keep training."

"Hai, sensei! Katsumi-sensei's been a really good teacher!" Sakura beamed before her name was called out from down the hallway, and she excused herself.

"Really, stop calling me that." Kakashi gave Katsumi a look.

The woman merely shrugged before waving. "See ya, Bakashi."

"I swear to Kami," Kakashi growled, "I will get you back for that, Owl."

"Like to see you try, Hound." Katsumi flipped him off before following Sakura. 

Kakashi shook his head before exiting the hospital via a window - he never understood the purpose of doors, there's a perfectly good way into the house through a window - muttering something about ANBU code names.

◾◽◾◽◾◽

Author's Note

There we go. Just a filler so you guys can see how they're training before the last part of the Chunin exams arc! I'm so excited for the Konoha Crush arc, probably because I want everyone else to see how badass Team 7 is...

Please vote and comment!

~ Magica2007


	21. Cԋαρƚҽɾ Tɯҽɳƚყ - Pԋαʂҽ Tԋɾҽҽ

"Only those who dare to fail greatly, can ever achieve greatly."

\- Robert F. Kennedy

◾◽◾◽◾◽

"Due to unfortunate circumstances, Genma Shiranui will be the proctor of the final examination. Let the tournament begin." Hiruzen called out, nodding at Genma who was down inside the arena.

Genma sighed. "First match; Naruto and Neji."

"I'm going to win this, dattebayo!" Naruto cheered, before rushing into the arena.

Neji scoffed and walked into the arena in a much calmer manner, almost as if he expected to win. Genma smiled subtly. These two would definitely create a good fight.

"Ready?" Genma yelled. "Go!"

"Kage Bushin no Jutsu (Shadow Clone Jutsu)!" Naruto called, and a whole army of orange appeared, before running towards Neji to overwhelm the Hyuga.

Neji sighed before allowing some clones to place hits on him. Deciding when his defence would be most effective, he started to spin on the spot.

"Hakkesho Kaiten (Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven)!"

A huge dome of chakra exploded from Neji, completely surrounding the boy and giving him the ultimate defence.

"Wha - cool!" Naruto gaped, before calling his clones off otherwise they'd all 'die'.

"Hakke Rokujuyon Sho (Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms)!" Neji called, and suddenly shot forwards and out of his protective chakra dome, using his gentle fist techniques and stopping all of Naruto's chakra flows.

"Now," Neji smirked, "you can't fight."

"Says who?" Naruto hissed through gritted teeth. "I still have taijutsu!"

Launching forwards, Naruto swung a fist which was stopped easily by the Hyuga. Directing a punch towards Naruto's midsection, Neji almost hit the Jinchuriki if Naruto hadn't twisted away and flipped over the Hyuga, using Neji's hand which was tightly hold his fist as an advantage.

"Ha!" Naruto cheered, before blocking a kick.

Neji's eyes narrowed. Naruto was better than he let on. Maybe he wasn't a complete failure...but failures remain failures.

"Forfeit," Neji growled, blocking a punch. "You're not good enough."

"I-" Naruto kicked Neji so hard that the Hyuga staggered back. "-don't-" Then the Uzumaki landed a roundhouse kick. "-think-" Neji barely had time to block another punch. "-so!"

Naruto spun around, leg swinging with a lot of force. Neji ducked before shutting his eyes and reopening them as the Byakugen.

"I didn't think I'd need this," Neji sneered, "but it seems like I do. Prepare for your downfall."

"Ha, yeah right!" Naruto replied, before focusing hard on drawing chakra out. It wasn't his, no, but it was the Nine-Tailed Fox's.

[Let's do this, Kit.]

[I need to beat his ass for what he did to Hinata!]

[Avenge your girlfriend later, kick his ass first.]

[She's not-]

Naruto was cut off by a burst of 'red' chakra, and the Jinchuriki grinned.

"Take this!" Naruto boomed. "Futon: Kaze Gyorai no Jutsu (Wind Release: Wind Torpedo Jutsu)!"

A huge gust of wind shot towards Neji, who didn't have any time to recover from seeing the burst of chakra that came from Naruto.

Flying backwards, everyone winced as Neji landed on the wall of the arena. It sounded horrible.

"Ha!" Naruto pointed a finger at the half-conscious Hyuga. "I win!"

"Victory goes to Naruto," Genma says, slowly clapping with the rest of the audience. It seems like Kakashi's got a powerful team, with the Uchiha, the Junchuriki, and the medical-nin.

"Next fight is Sasuke and Gaara," Genma said, before remembering something. "Ah, Kakashi said he'd squeeze in some extra training, so they're going to be late."

Hiruzen cleared his throat. "Sasuke Uchiha is now disqua-"

"My dear friend," the Kazekage said quietly, "everyone here is to see those two fight. Why not postpone it?"

Glancing uncertainly around and the rest of the Leaf shinobi and audience members, Hiruzen knew he had to give in. Hurry up, Kakashi.

"Very well." Hiruzen made his voice louder, addressing the whole arena. "The match between Sasuke of the Leaf and Gaara of the Sand is postponed!"

"Next match; Shino and Kankuro." Genma calls.

Kankuro appeared at the railing of the seating. "I forfeit!"

"Kankuro forfeits. Next match is Sakura and Kiba."

"Yo!" Kiba exclaimed. "Let's do this, buddy!"

Sakura sighed, before smiling at Naruto who was cheering for her and offering his support. "Thanks, baka."

"Win this, Sakura!" Naruto beamed. "Or I'll call you Sakura-chan for life!"

"Hai!" Sakura saluted, before taking her position opposite Kiba.

Genma stifles a yawn. "Start."

"Alright, buddy." Kiba whispers to Akamaru, who was listening intently. "Sakura's pretty good, hmm? So we have to go all out!"

Sakura was analysing her opponents, and looking at herself. Her affinity was earth, but her medical ninjutsu was better, and she could use the medical ninjutsu scalpels as a weapon. She wasn't too confident with the scalpels, but they could do some damage when she was focused enough.

"Jujin Bushin (Beast Human Clone)!" Kiba called, and Akamaru instantly turned into a clone of Kiba. "Giju Ninpo: Shikyaku no Jutsu (Imitation Beast Ninja Art: Four Legs Technique)!"

Now Sakura couldn't tell which was which, but she knew that if she knocked Akamaru out, the dog would return into its usual form.

"Doton: Gou no Doro (Earth Release: Mud Moat)!" Sakura called, slamming her hands into the ground, watching as the arena turned into a mud puddle.

Kiba's eyes widened before frantically calling out his other Jutsu. "Jujin Taijutsu Ogi: Gatsuga (Beast Human Body Technique Secret Art: Fang Passing Fang)!"

Now grey streaks in the air, Sakura managed to make out the two bullet-like beings rushing towards her.

"Doton: Doryuheki (Earth Release: Earth-style Wall)!" Sakura called out in panic, just managing to turn the ground back into a solid while summoning a wall of defence.

Narrowly dodging the wall, Kiba and Akamaru landed back onto solid ground, snarling and circling the pink girl.

Sakura decided to go with a genjutsu. She whispered, "Fusenmei Genzo (Vision Blur)." 

Kiba's eyes suddenly fuzzed, and he shook his to clear it, but it didn't work. Maybe it was because he went too fast? he didn't practice the Fang Passing Fang technique a lot, so maybe he shouldn't have gone that fast.

Suddenly, he felt a cool metal against his neck. His fuzzy eyesight made out Sakura's silhouette. No...

"Winner is Sakura!" Genma called out, impressed.

Sakura was standing there, a kunai in each hand, and both knives pressed against the necks of two Kibas. She looked intimidating, to say the least.

Calling the genjutsu off, Sakura smiled and offered a hand to Kiba. "Good fight, Kiba."

"How'd you know which one was me?" Kiba asked, accepting the help.

Sakura grinned. "Secret."

"Next match is Shikamaru and Ino." Genma orders, and the two Leaf genin trained into the arena, before starting to fight. Shikamaru was winning, but then he forfeited.

"Lastly, Sasuke and Gaara," Genma says, voice turned edgy. "And, you're late. By a lot."

A sheepish Kakashi and Sasuke appeared right as Genma was speaking, and the sensei had the decency to apologise.

"Sorry, got a bit carried away." Kakashi offered, before disappearing to sit next to his other genin.

The unmistakable red hair of Gaara appeared, and the boy walked into the arena, face passive. Sasuke and Gaara took their positions, seizing each other up.

"Start," Genma said for the final time, and Sasuke rushed forwards, starting off with taijutsu.

◾◽◾◽◾◽

Author's Note

Alright, two out of three battles done. I'm so excited to rewrite the Sasuke vs Gaara fight! Thanks so much for the 100 views! YES!

Please vote and comment!

~ Magica2007


	22. Cԋαρƚҽɾ Tɯҽɳƚყ-Oɳҽ - Iɳʋαʂισɳ

"Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success."

\- Henry Ford

◾◽◾◽◾◽

"Sorry about being late," Kakashi apologised, patting Sakura on the head. "I was teaching him some lightning release."

"But you can't be that late!" Sakura sighed. "It's the Chunin exams!"

"Maaaa," Naruto grinned, "Kakashi-sensei can be late for everything."

Kakashi rolled his eyes, before turning to Guy. "There's a lot of ANBU here. Wonder why?"

"I don't know, my rival," Guy says, eyes bunching together. "Maybe they are acknowledging all of the genins' youthfulness?"

"Probably scared of ricochetting attacks." Sakura chirps, offering her opinion. "It's the most likely answer."

"Watch the match!" Naruto cut in, eyes lighting up. "This is so cool! When did Sasuke get so fast that he can bypass Gaara shield of sand?"

Kakashi smiled from under the mask. "Genma's pretty fast and a tough teacher. I think it was a good idea to get Genma to teach Sasuke."

"Tough training," Sakura commented just as Gaara retaliated and flung Sasuke out from behind the sand shield and the Uchiha gracefully landed on his feet.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. Sure, Kakashi had taught him lightning release. Actually, he taught three jutsus. But which one to use...he went safe first.

"Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu (Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique)." Sasuke's hands flew through the seals and instantly launched a huge fireball towards the Jinchuriki.

Gaara glanced at the fireball, unimpressed. Thickening his shield in that direction, he left his entire right-side open. That's when Sasuke took his chance.

Running to the right of Gaara, Sasuke muttered, "Suiton: Teppoudama (Water Release: Bullet)."

Only when Gaara had dealt with the huge fireball did he see the water bullet, and the sand had no time to shield Gaara, and so the redhead got hit.

"Whoooo!" Naruto yelled. "That's what I call fighting!"

Sasuke smiled faintly before his face wiped clean of emotions and he kept an eye out for Gaara. The sand had created a circular sphere around the Sand shinobi, and Sasuke couldn't see what was happening.

"Time for the newest addition," Sasuke murmurs, before focusing his chakra into his right hand while doing seals.

The unmistakable sound of lightning and chirping birds filled the arena, and almost all of the shinobi gasped and turned to Kakashi, who had a blank look on his face.

"What Jutsu is that?" Tenten asked, nudging her sensei. "It looks powerful."

"That's because it was created by a powerful ninja," Guy said. "Its name is Chidori because it sounds like a thousand birds. It's an A-rank Jutsu."

"How does Sasuke know it?" Tenten questioned. "It's A-rank!"

"Because its creator taught him, right?" Guy turned to Kakashi, who looked blankly back before offering a small smile.

"Yeah." Kakashi nodded.

Naruto groaned. "Not fair! Why does Sasuke get to learn your signature Jutsu but not the rest of us? We all should! We're all your students!"

Kakashi ruffled up Naruto's hair. "You have to have an affinity for lightning. Sasuke does. You're wind, which is horrible if you wanted to learn lightning. and Sakura's earth, which is the worst possible affinity if you wanted to learn lightning."

"Come out!" Sasuke yelled before slamming the Chidori in his hand onto the sand shield, breaking apart some of it. "C'mon!"

Sakura's eyes narrowed. "Something's...off. Naruto, check the chakra of Gaara. It's...weird."

Naruto complied. After a few seconds, he choked on his own breath and gasped. "He's like me!"

"What?" Kakashi was alert. "Like you, how?"

"He's got something in him too!" Naruto exclaimed, before quietening down. "He's a...what did Pervy Sage called me? A Jinchuriks?"

"Jinchuriki." Kakashi cursed. "Are you sure?"

Naruto nodded. "Positive."

Kakashi turned and went to go tell the Hokage, but at that exact moment, a smoke bomb went off in the Kage box, and everyone started to fall asleep.

"Kai!" Kakashi said in record time, before leaping towards the Hokage.

Sakura realised it too. "Kai! Naruto, it's a genjutsu!"

"Kai!" Naruto yelped, before feeling re-energised. 

"Sakura. Naruto." Kakashi said, his eyes narrowed. "I'm giving you permission to kill. Someone invading us through the walls, and targeting the Hokage."

"Hai!" The two members of Team 7 chorused, before letting out a little KI. It made their senses sharper, and Kakashi felt the air become a little rougher as well as the scent of fresh leaves.

Kakashi blocked a kunai. "Your new mission! A-rank, it could be S-rank. Follow Sasuke and fight Gaara with him! If Gaara is a Jinchuriki, the only person who can battle him is Naruto. Understood?"

"Hai!" 

"Go!"

"Hai!"

Team 8 and Team 10 were battling with the invading Suna and Oto ninja, trying their hardest to stay alive. But they weren't trained in killing, and so they were fighting a losing battle.

"Help Team 8 and 10 first!" Kakashi orders, before taking down three shinobi in the blink of an eye.

Sakura and Naruto exchange a look before running as fast as they could to assist their peers. They had permission to kill. It meant that Kakashi wanted them to kill, and it was the only option if they wanted to survive.

"Futon: Kaze Gyorai no Jutsu (Wind Torpedo Jutsu)!" Naruto bellowed, before blowing away five shinobi into each other. "Kage Bushin no Jutsu (Shadow Clone Jutsu)!"

The new Naruto clones pounced on top of the knocked down shinobi and wasted no time in eliminating them. Team 8 and 10 stared at the coldness of the clones, before looking at Naruto, who was engaged in a tense taijutsu battle.

Sakura growled. "What are you looking at? Get on with it! Shit! You dickhead! Iwa Toge Fushido no Jutsu (Rock Thorn Bed Jutsu)!"

The shinobi she was cursing at was impaled by a spike, and Sakura grinned in cold satisfaction. "Idiot. Naruto, behind you!"

Two Suna-nin were working together. One had Naruto locked in combat whereas the other one was creeping up from behind.

"Thanks, Sakura!" Naruto called back, before drawing on some of Kurama's chakra. "Futon: Reppu-Ookami (Wind Release: Gale Wolf)!"

Three wolves appeared, the exact replica of the one Naruto used in the preliminary round. Two of the wolves ripped apart the Suna-nin whereas the last one growled protectively as the Nine-Tailed Fox started to heal the Jinchuriki.

"Holy shit," Kiba swore, eyes locked on something in the distance. "What is that?"

The two members of Team 7 looked and saw a huge beige-coloured beast. Next to it, in the air, was the small figure of Sasuke Uchiha and the unmistakable flicker of lightning.

"One-Tail." Sakura cursed. "Let's go, Naruto! Get Kurama ready for battle!"

"He's...he can't!" Naruto yelled back as he directed his wolves to prey on other unfortunate Oto-nin. "The seal won't let him!"

"Think!" Sakura hissed at herself. "Whatever, let's just go! Help Sasuke out!"

"Hai!" Naruto confirmed before the duo rushed out of the arena, followed by a small pug that ran after them screaming about how they needed help to track down the last member of Team 7.

◾◽◾◽◾◽

Author's Note

There we go, Chunin exams arc done! Next...Konoha Crush. The arc itself sounds kind of dark.

Please vote and comment!

~ Magica2007


	23. Cԋαρƚҽɾ Tɯҽɳƚყ-Tɯσ - Dιʂƚɾαƈƚισɳ

"Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will."

\- Mahatama Gandhi

◾◽◾◽◾◽

"This way, kids." Pakkun directed the two genin towards the gigantic Tailed-Beast and Sasuke.

Sakura's face hardened as she saw Sasuke being flung away by the beast's tail. "Thanks a lot, Pakkun."

"No need, Pinkie," Pakkun said gruffly. "Hold on, there's someone behind us."

"I'll distract them." Sakura offered. "Naruto needs to go against Shukaku."

"Okay," Pakkun nods, "Blondie, this way."

Saying a quick farewell, Naruto parted ways and Sakura wasted no time in creating traps and hid in the trees, watching for any threats that were following her and Naruto. 

"Wow..." Sakura gulped, "there are nine of them. Thank Kami I changed the tracks that lousy Naruto left behind."

"Go, quickly! We need to catch the boy before he stops the Kazekage's son!" A ninja yelled.

Sakura smirked. "I don't think so. Fusenmei Genzo (Vision Blur)!"

Three of them suddenly experienced blurred vision, which was enough of a number to not raise flags. If she put too many people under the genjutsu, it would make it obvious that it was a genjutsu.

"Iwa Toge Fushido no Jutsu (Rock Thorn Bed Jutsu)!" Sakura hissed, killing off those three and an extra two. Four remained, and they caught wind of Sakura's position, and so they approached slowly to attack.

"...shit." Sakura watched them speed up the tree she was on, and she barely had time to take out a kunai to defend herself when they attacked.

Ducking, dodging, punching, kicking, cutting, killing, throwing, blocking...Sakura was disarmed within five minutes, and she had to resort to her last weapon.

"You don't use it unless you have to. It takes up a lot of concentration and chakra, so it's only a last resort. You only use it on opponents you want to kill. Never on friends and loved ones. Understand, Sakura?"

Sakura gritted her teeth. I understand, Katsumi-sensei.

"Chakura no Mesu (Chakra Dissection Blade)," Sakura muttered, before swinging wildly with her right hand, which were now encased with chakra.

"Ha, you think that can-" The ninja cut his own sentence off with a scream as the chakra passed through his abdomen. 

The other Sound ninjas freaked out. "Are you okay?"

There was no visible wound, but Sakura knew that she had injured him. These chakra blades hurt the human body internally, and usually, they never healed completely. That was why it was such an effective weapon.

"Hiya!" Sakura swung again, this time cutting through the windpipe of an Oto-nin, killing him instantly. "Take...that!"

Puffing, the Haruno knew she had little chakra left, and so she stabbed the last two before falling unconscious, falling past the tree branch and onto the ground, surrounded by nine dead Oto-nin.

◾◽◾◽◾◽

Naruto was having a dilemma. Does he protect Sasuke and risk the One-Tail rampaging on Konoha, or does he leave Sasuke - who was bleeding out - and stop Shukaku?

Naruto waited for a bit, summing clones to fight in his place while taking care of Sasuke. If Sakura could come, then he'd leave Sasuke to her.

But she never came.

"C'mon, Sakura!" Naruto murmured. "I...I don't know what to do!"

Despite being a genius ninja, powerful and strong, Naruto was only twelve. He'd never been in a situation like this. Konoha was being invaded, and there was a Tailed-Beast walking around.

"G-go, usurat-tonk-kachi." Sasuke coughed up blood. "You're the only one who c-can defeat G-Gaara."

Naruto panicked. "Stop talking! Kami, you're going to die! Who told you to use Chidori three times and not two?!"

"G-go! I'll be fine. M'kay..." Sasuke growled weakly, glaring faintly at his teammate. "If K-Konoha falls, I'm-m blaming i-it on you."

Naruto groaned. "Fine! I'll go. Hang in there, dobe."

"Finally..." Sasuke sighed.

[Kurama, we have to do this together.]

[Kit...]

Naruto shook his head. [Please! Konoha's going to die!]

Kurama let out a soft chuckle. [A city can't die, Naruto. Very well, let's do this. I'll supply you with chakra and you'll use it. See how the Sand kid's in the middle of Shukaku? Wake him up, and you'll win.]

[Alright, let's do this!] Naruto cracked his knuckles before cupping his mouth.

"Oi, you big furry idiot!" Naruto bellowed while running towards the Tailed-Beast. "OVER HERE, FURRY!"

[Here's my chakra. Summon Gamabunta.]

[Hai.]

Feeling a burst of power, Naruto then proceeded to bite his thumb and slam it on the ground. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu (Summoning Technique)!"

Kurama forced a lot of his chakra through the Jinchuriki bond, making sure that there was enough chakra to summon Gamabunta. If he could just get Naruto to undo the seal, then his life would be so much easier. But right now, if Naruto was to open the seal, his young body wouldn't cope and...die, most likely.

"Boy, why do you summon me?" Gamabunta boomed, eyeing Naruto in distaste. "I will not do what you say to do."

But instead of cowering like most people, Naruto glared back and stood up with a straight back. "Yes, you will. We're going to save Konoha from Shukaku."

"Shukaku?" Gamabunta turned around to see the Tailed-Beast swinging its tail and destroying houses. 

"Please?" Naruto begged. "Please!"

[Naruto, let me talk to him.] Kurama said softly, and Naruto complied and let Kurama take over his body. His hands grew into claws, his eyes turned into slits, and his teeth sharpened.

"Gamabunta," Kurama said through Naruto's body. "Listen to me."

"So the boy's a Jinchuriki. No wonder why he managed to summon me." Gamabunta mutters, before glaring down at Kurama-Naruto. "What do you want, you fox?"

"Help him," Kurama replied. "Help Naruto."

The toad was surprised at the use of the Uzumaki's first name since the Nine-Tailed Fox hated humans. But for the fox to refer to one like a friend, that was new, and so Gamabunta reluctantly agreed.

"Very well." The toad sighed.

Kurama left with a bow, and Naruto blinked a couple of times before realising he had full control over his body. 

"Alright, big guy!" Naruto grinned as Gamabunta let him onto the top of his head. "Let's do this!"

"You need to wake him." Gamabunta lectures. "I'll help you get close enough to the Jinchuriki for Shukaku, and you have to wake the boy up using any means necessary. Understood?"

"Hai!" Naruto chimed. "Oi, furry! OVER HERE! Futon: Kaze Gyorai no Jutsu (Wind Torpedo Jutsu)!"

The huge gust of wind knocked into the Tailed-Beast but didn't do anything other than annoy the huge being. Shukaku snarled before starting to run towards Gamabunta and Naruto.

Naruto paused, before shrugging. "At least I got his attention.

"Ready?" Gamabunta asked, before readying himself. 

Naruto nods, a serious look on his face. "Let's do this, big guy."

◾◽◾◽◾◽

Author's Note

Dun dun dun! Time for the fight! I'm so excited writing this, I'm smashing out these chapters so quickly and then moving on. I swear my parents are so angry that I'm on my screen so much...

Please vote and comment!

~ Magica2007


	24. Cԋαρƚҽɾ Tɯҽɳƚყ-Tԋɾҽҽ - Yσυ'ɾҽ Oƙαყ

"I have been fighting since I was a child. I am not a survivor, I am a warrior."

\- Anonymous

◾◽◾◽◾◽

Ino was battling in the arena.

No, she wasn't doing it for the tournament. She had won her tournament round, well, if it counted that Shikamaru forfeited because he was too lazy to finish the match off.

She was fighting for her life. Fighting for Konoha.

"Shintenshin no Jutsu (Mind-Body Switch Jutsu)!" Ino called out, before collapsing into Shikamaru's arms and reawakening in a random Oto-nin's body. Knocking out a couple of enemies, Ino then returned to her body, before using her taijutsu skills to take down two more enemies.

"Good job," Kakashi Hatake says with a thumbs up while dealing with five Suna shinobi. "I need you to go check up on my team. I've sent them on an A-rank-"

Kakashi broke off as he dodged a water attack. He activated the lightning Jutsu that Sasuke had used earlier in the match against Gaara, the sound of the birds almost promising death. Kakashi then killed three Oto-nin who had stood in a line, before yanking back his bloody hand.

"Sorry," Kakashi turned back to Team 10. "Right. I need you to go check up on my team. Well, just Sakura and Sasuke."

"What about Naruto?" Choji asked, punching a Suna shinobi in the face.

Kakashi pointed to a huge thing in the distance. "Can't you see that obnoxious orange thing on top of Gamabunta? Yeah, that's Naruto."

Ino's eyes almost bulged out at the huge gust of wind that came from the gigantic toad. That couldn't have been Naruto, right? Naruto's a baka, not someone who can do that...

"Go!" Kakashi urged, before running forwards and clearing Team 10 a path. "Hurry it up!"

The three of them ran into the forest, following whatever dog they were supposed to be following. It was a huge black dog by the name of Bull, and he was one of Kakashi's summons.

"I wonder why Kakashi-sensei asked for us." Choji mused.

Ino rolled her eyes. "Maybe because we were closest?"

"True," Bull said. "But I also think it's because you're genin and young. Probably doesn't want you guys to see so many people getting killed."

"Is that...Sakura-chan?" Shikamaru pointed to a pink thing in the distance, and as they got closer, they realised that it actually was Sakura.

Ino's eyes widened. "Oh my Kami!" 

Sakura looked horrible. Sure the two girls were rivals, but Ino couldn't help but feel terrible by just looked at the pink-haired girl. Sakura's long pink hair was cut unevenly to her shoulders, there were injuries everywhere on her body, her face was deathly pale, and there was blood everywhere.

"I think Sakura-chan killed all of them," Shikamaru said coolly, bending down to get the pulse of all of the shinobi.

Choji choked. "All of them? There are nine!"

"Five of them are impaled," Bull pointed out calmly to a field of deathly sharp spikes with bodies littered on them, "and four of them don't look like they have injuries, except for the two there who got stabbed in the chest. Pinkie had really bloody hands."

Shikamaru nodded along to what the dog said. This dog was smart, maybe they'd get along. "None of them are alive, either."

Ino paled. Sakura was strong. Definitely. Ino knew that ever since the Haruno's fight against Temari in the preliminary round. But strong enough to take down nine Sound ninjas? That was different.

"Is she still alive?" Choji's voice was higher than normal, but his teammates either didn't pick up on it or ignored it.

Bull's face turned grave as he sniffed Sakura. "Barely. We need to get her to a hospital."

"What about Sasuke-kun?" Ino asked, glancing uncertainly around herself. "He could be dying too!"

"Choji." Shikamaru's voice took on a tone that demanded that no one interrupted or protested. "Take Sakura to the nearest hospital. Ino and I will look for Sasuke."

"Hai," Choji replied, and scooped up the pink girl into his arms and ran off, leaving a trail of dust.

Shikamaru looked at Ino, his usual nonchalant look was replaced with one of seriousness. "Let's go."

The duo carefully made their way, following Bull, who stopped after a few minutes. "Be careful, the two of you. Keep going straight, Boss' calling me. Don't die."

And with those words, the black dog disappeared in a poof of smoke, no doubt being summoned by Kakashi. Shikamaru sighed, before gesturing for Ino to become quiet. There might be someone still around.

"Wow, you two." Someone remarked dryly, before coughing. "You really need to work on your stealth skills."

Ino whirled around and Shikamaru prepared his jutsu only to find themselves face to face with Sasuke Uchiha, who looked almost as bad as Sakura.

His clothes were torn into shreds, the skin that was visible was a concerning shade of purple and black, and there were bones that stuck out in weird places since his ribs looked wrong and his left elbow was turned at about ninety degrees.

"You look horrible." Shikamaru states.

Sasuke rolls his eyes, before settling on the ground with a wince. "Nice to know."

"What happened?" Ino exclaimed, before moving to sit next to her crush. Sasuke looked uncomfortable, but he forced himself to relax.

He sighed. "This is what you get when you put a human with a One-Tailed Beast."

"Ouch." Shikamaru said, though his voice tone said a different story. Ino never understood what it was with Sasuke and other boys. The other boys didn't like him and Ino didn't see how Sasuke was unlikable. Sasuke was...Sasuke!

Sasuke knew that Shikamaru disliked him. After all, as Naruto would put it, Sasuke was an emo brooding mean boy back when they were in the Academy. Keyword: was. Sasuke wasn't that person anymore. But it didn't matter to the Uchiha what Shikamaru thought of him. Sasuke would never admit it, but he really only cared about his sensei, senpai, and teammates.

"Shit!" Sasuke swore, sitting up straight before instantly regretting it as his ribs shot up in pain. "Naruto!"

Ino looked at Sasuke. "What about Naruto?"

"He's fighting Gaara!" Sasuke squinted while looking in the distance. "Oh wait, Gaara's gone."

"Gone?" Ino shrieked. 

Shikamaru shook his head while sighing. "Naruto defeated One-Tail a long time ago."

"Well, why didn't you tell us?!" Ino reprimanded. "You should have, y'know!"

Sasuke staggered onto his feet, swaying a little. Using a few seconds to steady himself, the Uchiha heir left the arguing duo behind as he stumbled towards where he felt Naruto's chakra was. 

"Oi, Uchiha," Shikamaru called out after the injured boy. "Where do you think you're going?"

Sasuke didn't reply. He only forced himself to walk further, wincing as his ribs protested and his knee stung. He really needed to get a medical-nin to look at him, but first, he needed to make sure that Naruto was okay.

"He's going to kill himself," Shikamaru muttered.

Ino's eyes widened. "Then let's go help him! Sasuke-kun, wait up!"

Shikamaru sighed, before trudging after his female teammate who was eager to keep up with her crush. Even though Shikamaru didn't like the Uchiha, it didn't mean that he wanted the heir to die. Sasuke was going to kill himself if he keeps pushing his body.

"Usuratonkachi..." Sasuke groans, falling to his knees in front of Naruto, who looked battered, but was still alive. "You're okay."

Naruto grinned. "Course I'm okay, dattebayo! But dobe, you're not!"

Rushing forwards, Naruto managed to catch the Uchiha as he slipped into unconsciousness, saying only two words.

"You're okay..."

◾◽◾◽◾◽

Author's Note

There we go. I'm proud of writing this chapter. I'm proud of writing all of the chapters. Maaa, I'm just happy I've written up to here! I'm going to be saying this a lot, but thanks for reading up to here!

Please vote and comment!

~ Magica2007


	25. Cԋαρƚҽɾ Tɯҽɳƚყ-Fσυɾ - Fʅყιɳɠ Gσԃ Tԋυɳԃҽɾ Tҽƈԋɳιϙυҽ

"If they hadn't tried to break me down, I wouldn't know that I'm unbreakable."

\- Gabourey Sidibe

◾◽◾◽◾◽

Kakashi was sitting in a hospital.

He hated hospitals. He'd usually avoid them all the time, except for this emergency. He sat in a chair that had been custom ordered to be more comfortable due to the amounts of time Kakashi would be in here.

He never left.

"Kakashi, here's your breakfast," Katsumi says, walking inside with a tray, approaching the silver-haired man. She was the only medical staff member who even dared to approach the former ANBU captain.

Kakashi sighed, shutting his Icha Icha book. "Thanks, Kat."

"You know," Katsumi starts quietly, "you should go outside, for even ten minutes. Get some fresh air. That chair needs a rest too!"

Kakashi sighed and stretches. "Nah, I'm good."

"You've been in here for over ninety-six hours." Genma deadpans, walking into the room. "I understand that your three students are all in medical induced comas, but that doesn't mean you have to be in one."

"I'm not in a coma!" Kakashi exclaims. "I'm...waiting for them to wake up."

"Same thing." Genma waves it off, sitting down on a wooden stool, chewing on a senbon. 

Jiraiya stumbles in, a couple of red hand marks on his face. "Is anything different?"

Katsumi rolled her eyes. "Nothing. You're the same as always, trying to pick up girls who always end up slapping you."

"Whatever," Jiraiya pouts, before rubbing his swollen cheeks. "I'm talking about the kids."

The medical-nin sighs. "I know. Nothing in their status has changed. All of them had severe chakra exhaustion, critical injuries, and might not be out of the comas for another month or so."

The last part was said pointedly to the Copy Ninja, who pretended like he didn't see his three friends give him stern glares mixed in with concern. Kakashi knew that his own health was deteriorating, but he felt bad about leaving his students here.

"Go train or something," Genma suggests, "I'll train with you."

"Seriously?" Kakashi said, his voice high with disbelief.

Genma shrugs. "If it'll get you out of that green chair."

"You should go, Mini-Sakumo," Jiraiya says, turning serious. "You need to get out and about. I'll stay here for you, just in case their status changes."

Kakashi thought about it for a moment. The three adults in the room seemed to hold their breath in anticipation, before letting it out when Kakashi said one word.

"No."

"Seriously?" Katsumi groaned. "We've tried everything. You haven't done anything other than wallow in concern, sitting in that green armchair."

"It's a comfy armchair, custom made." Kakashi grinned.

Genma growls. "It was custom made because the doctors and nurses tried to drag you out when visiting hours ended, but you refused to budge, and even went as far as to electrocute them when they try to force you out. You didn't even move out of here for even an hour after that!"

"I went to the funeral for Lord Third." Kakashi offered.

"We had to wheel Team 7 outside to the funeral to get you to go to the funeral." Katsumi deadpanned.

Kakashi shrugged. "I still went."

"Do you even sleep in here?" Jiraiya asked, settling onto a chair. "It looks like you haven't slept for days."

Katsumi suddenly snapped her neck towards Sakura, who was resting in her hospital bed with an oxygen mask on. Kakashi shot up from his seat, eyes trained on the medical kunoichi. Katsumi could feel chakra better than most, so something was probably off about Sakura's chakra.

"Is she-" 

Kakashi didn't even get to finish his sentence when Katsumi teleported to the pink-haired girl's side. Kakashi stood up to follow when Katsumi's hand moved into a shape, forming the ANBU sign for stop. Genma grabbed Kakashi's arm to stop the tall jonin from barging over, shooting a look at Jiraiya, who helped Genma ease Kakashi back into his seat.

"I need an emergency medical team." Katsumi's voice was sharp. "Now."

"On it," Genma replies, before using his Flying God Thunder Technique to teleport to where all the doctors and nurses would be when they were having a rest. It was like a staff room, but always busy.

Jiraiya's eyes widened. "I thought only the First and Fourth could use that technique."

Kakashi huffed. "You thought wrong. Team Ro can use it. We learnt it from Minato-sensei himself since we were his personal ANBU team."

"And because you were his student," Katsumi chimed in, voice light, even though her hands were moving at a speed so fast that without the Sharigan, Kakashi couldn't keep up with what she was doing, but it looked like she was doing something with the oxygen mask.

Jiraiya hummed. "So all of Team Ro can do it?"

"Yup." Kakashi popped the 'p', leaning back into the chair. 

"That means Itachi Uchiha can." It wasn't a question. It was a statement. Jiraiya knew that Itachi was under orders from the higher-ups in Konoha to massacre his own clan, but did Kakashi?

Kakashi nods his head. "True."

Narrowing his eyes at the nonchalant expression that Kakashi had, Jiraiya deduced that either Kakashi believed with his whole heart that Itachi was a cold-hearted monster, or the former ANBU captain knew that Itachi did it under orders.

"Kakashi," Katsumi's voice was unwavering, "I need your help."

Kakashi was instantly alert. "What for?"

"I need to do an emergency procedure, Sakura's lungs aren't healing right. I don't have the time to explain, but I need you to help me. You're the only one right now who can do medical ninjutsu, even if it's a tiny bit."

"Hai." Kakashi teleported to Katsumi's side. "Tell me what to do."

Katsumi launched into doctor mode, and Kakashi had a tough time keeping up but managed to get the gist of what he was supposed to do. It was something along the lines of making sure Sakura didn't bleed out, and so he activated his medical ninjutsu and watched as Katsumi got to work.

Jiraiya was unnerved. He had just learnt that Minato taught Team Ro the Flying God Thunder Technique, an elite S-rank skill. But what was worse was that Kakashi had just teleported to Katsumi's side, which meant that all of Team Ro's members probably marked each other, which lead to Itachi marking all of Team Ro's members.

The Sannin looked out of the window. He needed a list of all of Team Ro's members when Itachi was in that team. Itachi hadn't teleported into Konoha yet, but you never know. He could be bidding his time and using it as a trump card.

It was a good trump card. Team Ro was meant to be the best of the best, all added into the team at their peak status and they were all young when they were added. And to be able to teleport to any one of those members of that elite team and kill them when they were least expecting it...well, Konoha better watch out.

◾◽◾◽◾◽

Author's Note

This was just filler chapter because I wanted to make Kakashi's ANBU team more...powerful? Stronger? Something like that. Whatever.

Please vote and comment!

~ Magica2007


	26. Cԋαρƚҽɾ Tɯҽɳƚყ-Fιʋҽ - Iƚαƈԋι Uƈԋιԋα

"In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer."

\- Anonymous

◾◽◾◽◾◽

"Man, does it feel good to be back?" 

"No."

"Really? I could've sworn you hesitated there, Itachi-kun."

"No. It feels...off to be back. It's not even my home now."

"Well, that's just dark."

"We must continue on the mission."

"Right, Mr Everything's-Work-And-I-Have-No-Fun."

"I do have fun. You just don't think it's fun."

"What, meditating? How's that fun?"

"Kisame."

"Oi, don't leave me behind, you brooding Uchiha!"

"Keep up, then."

"Don't give me that look, kid."

"I don't give looks."

"...whatever."

"Halt!" Kurenai stopped the two off-looking travellers. Something was different about these two. "Why are you here in Konohagakure?"

Itachi sighed inaudibly. He didn't want to talk to anyone. Really. Just grab the Jinchuriki, maybe beat up his little brother a bit so Sasuke could become stronger, and go. He didn't want to dwell in Konoha, but now he has to deal with these two jonins.

"Just passing by," Itachi replied to Kurenai, though under the huge and stupid hat he wore, he was analysing the woman. She looked different from before. Stronger. Faster. Much better.

Asuma snorts, the cigarette in his mouth bobbing up and down. "Riiiight. Dressed like that?"

"Are you insulting our fashion sense?" Kisame scoffed. "I'd like you to laugh once you see my face."

"Try me." Asuma narrowed his eyes. These two people were strong. He could sense it. If they were to fight, he'd probably send a distress call and ask for Kakashi.

Kisame grinned ferally before ripping off his hat, revealing his shark-like face. Then he smirked at their horrified looks. "Like what you see? You're staring!"

"Enough." Itachi holds up a hand. "We're not here to fight."

"Then what are you here for?" Kurenai shifted into a defensive pose, showing that she didn't believe the duo.

"The Jinchuriki, duh." Kisame snorts, rolling his eyes. 

"Naruto, hmm?" Itachi says quietly. Asuma was more put off by the silent and quiet personality of Itachi than the loud and open one of Kisame and deemed the Uchiha more of a threat. 

Asuma readied himself for combat. "Who are you?"

"Me?" Itachi slowly reached up and took off his hat.

"Itachi Uchiha." Kurenai's eyes were big. "In the bingo book, it says to flee on sight."

Itachi smirked, very much like Sasuke. "I'd like to see you try."

"Aw, now he's having fun!" Kisame exclaimed. "Let's do this!"

"Exterminate them. I will go get the Jinchuriki." Itachi orders, before his body shook and revealed to be a bunch of crows.

Asuma growled. "Clone."

"What, did you think you'd catch us together now?" Kisame eyes took on a mad glint. "Please. Itachi-kun is a freaking genius, and you should know that. He thought this all out perfectly."

"Ah, so Itachi-kun ran?" Kakashi's voice came from behind the Konoha-nin duo. "I'll take care of that. You two, deal with shark boy."

Kisame's eyes narrowed, and his lips twisted into a snarl. "Kakashi Hatake."

Kisame has most definitely heard of Kakashi of the Sharigan. Not only was his partner Itachi Uchiha, someone who worked under Kakashi, but half the Akatsuki avoided him at all costs. Only Itachi, Tobi and himself would even have the courage to face Kakashi Hatake.

But as Kisame leapt past the two jonins in front of him, he was met with nothing but air. Kakashi Hatake was gone as if he was never there in the first place.

"Worry about us, Fishy." Asuma taunts, twirling his weapons in his hands. 

Kisame seethes. "Very well. Prepare for your death."

◾◽◾◽◾◽

"Thank Kami," Itachi whispered. "He's okay."

The Uchiha was spying on his younger brother, wanting to see if Sasuke was safe or not. Instead of seeing the brooding boy who hated going to the Academy, Itachi saw Sasuke eating lunch with two other people, occasionally smiling.

Smiling.

Smiling. Sasuke Uchiha was smiling.

"Maaaa, I never knew you were the stalker kind." 

Itachi whirled around silently, seeing a familiar man behind him. "Hatake-senpai?"

"Yo, Itachi-kun." Kakashi smiled and waved. "You stalking your brother or something?"

"Wha - oh, of course. I keep forgetting you know about the Uchiha massacre." Itachi sheepishly raked a hand through his hair. 

Kakashi nods. "Yeah, I would've too, if it was an S-rank secret that there were no records of. Anyways, if you wanted to know about Sasuke, you could've just asked me."

"I know, but..." Itachi trailed off, watching with a fond smile as the pink-haired girl who was sitting opposite Sasuke leaned over the table and smacked the younger Uchiha's head.

"You wanted to see him yourself, I get it." Kakashi's smile faded. "But I heard. You're here for the Jinchuriki."

"That's what the job wants." Itachi sighed, before turning around to approach the Jinchuriki, who was the third person on the lunch table.

Kakashi watched the raven-haired man carefully. He'd never get over the fact that the small, shy and talented eleven-year-old Itachi Uchiha was now a tall, confident and skilled S-rank missing-nin.

Kakashi sighed. "Sasuke will approach you with the intent to kill."

"I know." Itachi muses, closing his eyes. 

"He won't be alone," The Copy-nin says before the silver-haired man disappeared with a swirl of leaves. Itachi smiles, before opening his eyes to reveal the fully developing Sharigan. Not alone, hn? Seems like Sasuke is learning.

"Hatake-senpai?" Itachi knew that the older man wasn't around, and couldn't hear him. "Arigato. You took care of Sasuke when I couldn't."

The raven-haired man bowed to nobody in particular, before using the Flying God Thunder Technique to teleport to Kisame's side. He had scouted out where the Jinchuriki was and checked up on his brother, which would be enough. Now all he has to do is pray that someone would arrive in time to stop them from stealing the poor Jinchuriki.

"Aw c'mon," Kisame whined. A member of a criminal organisation just whined. Itachi was going to have a serious talk with the missing-nin afterwards. 

Itachi sighed, before shaking his head as Kisame whacked way both Asuma and Kurenai, who knew ever since the battle began, they were the inferior fighters but kept fighting anyway. Asuma grunted as he landed awkwardly on the ground, but his eyes were glued on Kurenai, who managed to soften her landing.

"Let's go," Itachi said sternly. Kisame grins and salutes to the two Konohagakure jonins and the two of them walk away casually, leaving behind the two injured Konoha-nin, walking towards the apartment of the one and only Naruto Uzumaki.

◾◽◾◽◾◽

Author's Note

I am so happy that wrote like six chapters earlier this week because I have found like zero time to write. Who else feels like conferences online for school sucks?

Please vote and comment!

~ Magica2007


	27. Cԋαρƚҽɾ Tɯҽɳƚყ-Sιx - Bɾσƚԋҽɾʂ

"Thou shalt not judge too harshly. Because thou has messed up in the past also."

\- Karen Salmansohn

◾◽◾◽◾◽

"Maaaaa," Naruto groaned, "that old pervy man! Of course, I'll have to wait for him to get rejected before I can get out!"

The door was knocked.

"Already? Must have revealed he's the worst perv in the world," Naruto grumbled, before flinging open the door to reveal two people standing in his doorway, wearing matching cloaks. "Who're you?"

Itachi's eyes morphed into his Sharigan, mesmerising the young Jinchuriki without even needing to use the special effects the red eyes came with. "We simply want to talk."

"Talk?" Naruto crossed his arms. "Talk here, then! I'm waiting for Pervy Sage, so, yeah, I have time. Shoot!"

Putting up the facade of being a stupid and obnoxious child, Naruto could tell the shark-skinned weirdo already fell for it and felt pretty smug. But the taller guy who looked like a carbon figure of Sasuke - that couldn't be the idiot brother, right? - didn't look at all fazed, so Naruto settled on the two options that either he didn't care about what Naruto acted like or he saw past it. The Uzumaki certainly hoped for the first option.

"We have information on the Kyuubi," Itachi said shortly, not missing the look of surprise on Naruto's face.

Naruto played dumb. Inside, he was curious and panicking. He thought no one else knew that. Sending a distress call to his teammates and sensei, Naruto felt at ease when the reply of a cold ear and a sharp pins-and-needles feeling erupted in his ear replied. "Kyuubi?"

"The thing that lives inside of ya, kiddo." Kisame grins, winking at the Jinchuriki.

"There's something that lives inside of me?" Naruto says.

Itachi sighs. "Stop playing around, child. We have information that you want."

"Like what?"

"How to control the Bijuu." Itachi offered, holding out a hand.

[Yeah, right. I know that, thanks very much. I can teach the kid, asshole.]

[Kurama! Bad language!]

[I'm over a hundred years old, Kit. I am allowed swear.]

"Okay...?" Naruto replied to Itachi, putting a bit of uncertainty into his voice. Naruto reached out and placed his hand into Itachi's. [Doesn't mean you do it in front of me. I'm a minor!]

[As if your sensei doesn't.] Kurama snorted, watching the scene unfold through Naruto's eyes. The fox could tell that Naruto knew that these people were powerful and skilled, so going up against them would result in a losing battle.

[Kakashi-sensei only did it a couple of times.]

"Follow me," Itachi says quietly, tugging along the Jinchuriki behind him, oblivious to the conversation going on inside of the blond boy's head.

[He called that Zabuza guy dipshit, said fuck when you revealed you got sealed by Orochimaru, called-]

[Okay, okay, I get it. But seriously, it's weird hearing you swear.]

[Then I should do it more often.]

[KURAMA!]

"We should cut off his legs so he doesn't escape," Kisame said suddenly as the blue-skinned man hauled the Jinchuriki onto his shoulders, much to the boy's surprise.

Naruto freaked out. "WHAT?! No, c'mon Sharkie!"

"He called me Sharkie," Kisame growled. "That's it. I'm cutting off his legs."

"Noooooo-" Naruto wailed but broke off when Kisame went flying, and that included Naruto himself, who was on top of Kisame. Kicking a pressure point on Kisame's elbow, the missing-nin let go almost immediately and Naruto landed swiftly on his feet.

Naruto pouted, turning to a puffing pink-haired girl, whose fist was out in front of her. "You didn't have to punch that hard, Sakura."

The girl rolled her eyes, before tacking her teammate. "Watch out!"

A fire erupted from Itachi's mouth, much bigger than Sasuke's. Both members of Team 7 gulped. This person really was a good fighter.

"Itachi." Sasuke hissed, appearing behind Itachi. "How dare you show your face here!"

"Little brother. Sasuke." Itachi's voice was devoid of any emotion. "Have you gotten stronger?"

"Dick." Sakura spat from in front of Itachi, and Itachi's eyes widened slightly at the venom inside of the Haruno's voice. "Just because you're an oh-so-mighty prodigy genius and skilled in fucking everything doesn't mean you have to pressure your brother to be the same!"

"You know nothing, civilian girl," Itachi replies smoothly, watching the girl's facial expression turn dark and her KI suddenly leaked out, filling the air with the smell of fresh leaves. Earth affinity, hn? Wonder what she knows about Earth Release...

"Don't. Call. Sakura. A. Civilian. Girl." Sasuke's breath was hot against Itachi's ear. "She's a kunoichi, asshole."

"Very well. If she was a kunoichi, then why is she cowering, and not fighting?" Itachi challenged and caught the flying kick from Sasuke easily. Itachi was surprised at the strength and speed, but it didn't show on his face.

"Because..." Sasuke grunted and let out a flurry of attacks, avoiding eye contact with his older brother, whose Sharigan eyes spun hypnotisingly. "I want to draw first blood!"

Itachi's eyes widened as he felt Sasuke's kunai merely graze his face but drew the ruby-coloured liquid before his brother launched off the older Uchiha, landed lightly on his feet.

"First blood." Sasuke sneers, a smirk on his face. 

Itachi could feel the two hostile chakra signatures nearby flare up, getting ready for battle. The eldest Uchiha dodged a powerful kick from the girl and narrowed his Sharigan eyes at the clones the Jinchuriki had summoned.

There was no difference between them. Itachi let out a soft chuckle. "Of course. Shadow clones. Did Hatake-senpai teach you that?"

"Hatake-senpai? I have no idea who that is, but I'm going to kick your ass!" One of the clones hollered before the whole hoard charged.

"Hn." Itachi was impressed at how the boy could sustain so many clones - but he was the Jinchuriki - and his taijutsu was decent for someone who was only promoted to genin six months ago.

But it wasn't good enough against Itachi Uchiha.

"Better," Itachi said grudgingly, slamming his younger brother against a wall while using his other hand to touch the very first cut on his cheek. "But still pathetic."

"Pathetic my ass," Naruto grunted from where he lay injured on the ground.

Sakura, the girl, merely sent Itachi a glare that would've made him shiver if not for who he was. Itachi smiled internally. His brother had found a team, a good team to back him up. Maybe a team weren't dead weights, after all.

◾◽◾◽◾◽

Author's Note

There we go, Itachi and Sasuke have had their quarrel, now to move on...I think they're going to search for Tsunade now...? Better double-check...

Please vote and comment!

~ Magica2007


	28. Chapter 28

  



	29. Cԋαρƚҽɾ Tɯҽɳƚყ-Eιɠԋƚ - Tʂυɳαԃҽ

"Act as if what you do make a difference. It does."

\- Joan Baez

◾◽◾◽◾◽

"Baka." Sakura sighed. "I'm going to miss you."

Naruto grinned and gave his teammate a thumbs up. "I know, Sakura. I know."

"Stop being so smug about it!" Sakura growled, holding up a fist.

"Enough." Sasuke groaned, rubbing his temples. "We're here to send Naruto off on his quest to find the Fifth Hokage, not to beat him up so he dies before he even leaves the village."

"Thanks, dobe." Naruto smiled.

Sasuke grunts. "Whatever, usuratonkachi."

"We leave soon," Jiraiya calls from where he stood with the Konoha Council. "Get ready, Naruto."

Naruto nods back, before sighing and cracking his knuckles. "This trip is going to be great. Pervy Sage says he's going to teach me a new Jutsu, this is going to be awesome!"

Sasuke shakes his head, a faint fond smile on his face. "Always about the new Jutsu, hn?"

"Stop saying 'hn'," Sakura reprimanded, "we just got you out of that habit!"

"Hn." Sasuke mocks, ducking as Sakura's fist swung his way. 

Kakashi chuckled, walking over. "Maaaa, I'm pretty sure we're meant to be saying goodbye to Naruto, not picking on Sasuke."

"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto exclaimed. All three genin weren't expecting the tall ex-ANBU to come since he had more and more missions to deal with. The invasion from Suna and Oto had magnificently decreased the number of shinobi in Konoha, and so the genin teams were to go on low D-ranks alone as their jonin senseis left to go on higher rank missions. 

Kakashi gave his team his signature closed-eye smile. "What, did you think I'd let my student, the number one hyperactive knucklehead ninja leave the village without so much of a farewell?"

"We thought you'd be really busy," Sakura muttered, eyeing her feet.

"I'd never miss this." Kakashi smiled again. "Let's take a photo. The six-month mark. Come here."

Gesturing for Jiraiya to come over, Kakashi handed the Sannin a camera and ruffled the hair of the two boys while dragging the three genin over. The four of them posed as the same as their official Team 7 photo.

"I'll come back soon! Dattebayo!" Naruto winks, before waving and leaving the village, trailing after the Toad Sage, who had already set off.

"We'll miss you!" Sakura yelled, waving back.

Sasuke huffed but nodded in acknowledgement when Naruto turned around to grin at his teammates.

Kakashi gave a small wave, before Naruto and Jiraiya disappeared into the forest, their silhouettes covered up by trees. Turning back to his other two genin, Kakashi sighed and patted their heads, much to their dislike.

"Sorry kids, but you're not going to be getting any missions-"

"What?!" Sakura interrupted, eyes wide.

Sasuke instantly went into a defensive pose, knowing that his sensei hated being interrupted. And when Kakashi was angry, he was scary. And when he was scary, he liked to physically punish people.

"Sorry, sensei." Sakura instantly saw her mistake when Kakashi's face turned dark, and when she apologised, it lightened up a little bit.

"It's okay." He didn't sound okay. Kakashi' voice was strained, a sign that he was restraining his anger. "Anyways, as I was saying, you won't be getting any missions together, but you'll mostly get solo D and C-rank missions."

"Why not together?" Sasuke asked, seeing that Sakura had the same question as he did.

Kakashi sighed. "Ah. Well, usually you'd be in either a three-man or four-man group, but as I need to be on S-rank missions, I can't go with you. You're also down another man with Naruto leaving, which leave us with the two of you. We don't have missions for just two people, and if we give you a solo mission, we'd be wasting an extra shinobi, but if we give you a three-man mission, there's a high risk that the mission won't be complete."

"Okay." Sakura sighed. "Solo missions it is."

"But," Kakashi raised a finger, "there will be the occasional two-man missions, which you might be able to reserve if you want to do it together."

Sakura opened her mouth to say yes but then thought about it. She wanted to, yes, but did Sasuke? For all she knew, Sasuke only put up with her because he had to!

"Yes, we'll reserve some," Sasuke answered, much to Sakura's surprise. Seeing her taken aback look, Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Unless you don't want to?"

Sakura squeaked, face turning pink. "N-no! I want to do it!"

Kakashi chuckled, before saluting to the two twelve-year-olds. "I have a mission to get done. I'll see you two around, don't get into trouble!"

"Hai, sensei!" The two genin bowed, and when they straightened, the silver-haired man was nowhere in sight.

Sasuke yawned. "Let's go to the mission assignment desk."

"Hai." Sakura agreed, and the two genin walked side by side in a comfortable silence, occasionally commenting about something and sharing a smile.

◾◽◾◽◾◽

Shizune was trying to get Tsunade to stop gambling.

It was a vain effort.

"Tsunade-chan," Shizune tried, "please take a break? You have been doing this for hours on end!"

Tsunade flicked back a blonde pigtail. "Absolutely not."

Suddenly, an owl flew into the room, dodging attacks and arms from people who barged in afterwards, obviously after the owl. The owl itself was a sleek black colour with intelligent golden eyes, and the streak of grey feathers made it easy to identify the bird.

"Kuro!" Shizune smiled, seeing her sister's summon. "Long time no see!"

The owl hooted before landing on Shizune's shoulder, a scroll attached to his foot. Untying the scroll, Shizune unrolled the piece of paper and skimmed it. As she kept reading, her eyes got wider and wider.

"Kuro...this..." Shizune was at a loss for words.

Kuro hooted, before launching off into the air, zooming back outside of the casino, drawing the attention of the aggravated villagers and the stampede followed the black owl back outside.

Shizune stood there, baffled. Then, as if a switch turned on inside her head, the black-haired woman used a burst of energy and bolted towards her mentor.

"TSUNADE-CHAN!" Shizune yelled, before bursting into the private gambling room that the Sannin was inside. "I have a letter!"

"I'll read it later." Tsunade snapped and glared at her opposition before it was her turn.

Shizune shook her head rapidly. "No, no! It's from Katsumi! And even she says it's important!"

That got Tsunade's attention. Her first student never ever said something as an emergency or important, so if she said it was, then it was really important.

"Fine." Tsunade ground out. "I'm done anyway."

Standing up, Tsunade flipped back her hair before stalking over to Shizune, looking expectantly down at the shorter woman. "Where is it?"

"You will not read it when you are drunk." Shizune scolded. "You will sleep this off, and then read it."

"Whatever." Tsunade groaned before the two of them made their way into their hotel room. Shizune's head was still spinning from the contents of the scroll.

Tsunade, the Fifth Hokage?! Who in the right mind would get her to be the Hokage?!

Then Shizune remembered what Katsumi had scribbled down.

Of course.

Jiraiya, that pervert.

◾◽◾◽◾◽

Author's Note

I think I'm going to speed through this arc, simply because there isn't anything worth mentioning. Don't take that the wrong way, it's just I don't think there are any places for plot twists, so maybe I'll start the next chapter with a fight scene...

Please vote and comment!

~ Magica2007


	30. Cԋαρƚҽɾ Tɯҽɳƚყ-Sҽʋҽɳ - Gσԃαιɱҽ

"As long as one keeps searching, the answers will come."

\- Joan Baez

◾◽◾◽◾◽

The council said in a very awkward silence, eyeing each other with familiarity but with grudge and suspicion.

Ever since the passing of the Third Hokage, the Sandaime, it was a touchy subject on telling who would be the next Hokage. Many people turned to Jiraiya, who had been in the village during the attack and had saved many lives, but the Sannin turned the offer down.

Now, this meeting was to discuss who was going to take on the mantle of the Fifth Hokage, the Godaime.

"The meeting shall start," Jiraiya says, walking in on nine o'clock on the dot. For once he was serious, his perverted-self nowhere in sight.

"We should nominate people," a councillor suggested, and Jiraiya recognised her as Kuharu Utatane, one of Hiruzen's teammates.

The last teammate of Hiruzen's team, Homura Mitokado, nodded. "Good idea. Nominations?"

Danzo raised a hand. "Myself. I think I am fit to be Hokage, after all, everything I've done was for the best of Konoha."

People started to whisper, no doubt about Danzo's last stunt with ROOT. If it weren't for Kakashi Hatake and the Third, who knows what would've happened if ROOT continued?

Jiraiya raised his hand. "I suggest another Sannin. The Princess of Konoha herself. Tsunade."

A murmur ran through the council, some nodding at the idea, but some dismissing the nomination quickly.

Kuharu coughed to get everyone's attention. "Why not Kakashi Hatake? He has the most impressive resume, and is the most loyal shinobi there is in Konoha."

"Kakashi?" Jiraya murmured. "Could work."

"He's too young." Danzo protested. "He doesn't know the weight of the title."

Jiraiya's eyes blazed. "Too young? He was thrown into war at the age of five as soon as he was promoted to genin, then chunin at the age of six, mind you, that's the age we Sannin got promoted too. He was the youngest to be promoted to jonin at the age of ten. Also being put into the ANBU at the age of thirteen before being promoted to ANBU captain at the age of fourteen. All while that has happened, he lost his father, sensei, two teammates, who knows how many people he lost in ANBU?"

"Do you think Kakashi Hatake should be the Godaime, then?" Kuharu prompted.

Jiraiya shook his head. "He's fit for the job, yes. But he'd be a much better asset for Konoha if he was an active shinobi. His reputation comes from assassinations and his clean record of missions."

"Very well." Homura nods. "That is reasonable. Now, we have two candidates. There is Tsunade and Danzo."

"I say we vote." Danzo grounds out, eyes flashing with annoyance that there was still someone else.

Jiraiya nods. "Agreed." 

The vote now counted, most of the council had voted for Tsunade, despite the protests that the woman had left the village, much like her teammate, Orochimaru.

"Believe me," Jiraiya stands up, "she will return as the Fifth Hokage."

"Then, you shall go find her." Kuharu orders.

"On one condition." Jiraiya's eyes change into something calculating and distant. "I bring Naruto Uzumaki with me."

The council was silent. Homura clears his throat. "And why would we allow that?"

Jiraiya put up a finger. "He hasn't been trained to control the Bijuu inside of him."

A second finger went up. "He's a target. You saw and heard from the loyal shinobi of Konoha, Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki, both S-rank missing-nin, came looking for him."

A third finger went up. "Saying that, he will put a target on the village itself. It would be great if Konoha wasn't attacked, especially since we don't have a Hokage."

"True," Kuharu mused, "but you must return within three months. We cannot go without a Hokage."

"Understood." Jiraiya nods. 

"And the Jinchuriki," Homura adds. "He must come back as well. It wouldn't go well with our fellow villages if we lost our only Jinchuriki."

"Hai," Jiraiya replies, stopping the bitterness and attack from leaking into his voice. These councillors only saw Naruto as a tool, not a person. Cold-hearted people.

"The council is dismissed," Kuharu commands. "Jiraiya the Toad Sage will go to find our first candidate for the Fifth Hokage, Tsunade of the Leaf, accompanied by Naruto Uzumaki, the holder of the Kyuubi. If Tsunade doesn't accept being Hokage, the name falls to Danzo Shimura."

The council dissipated quickly, and Jiraiya left without another word. He needed to find Tsunade, and quickly. He also needed to convince the most stubborn woman in the world to become Hokage, which would be a pain. Not to mention, if she doesn't accept, the Hokage spot will be given to Danzo, and Jiraiya shivered at the thought of an angry Kakashi if Danzo becomes Hokage.

Kakashi might become a missing-nin if that happens. Wait...he wouldn't do that right? He's loyal to the village...right? 

The more he thought about it, the more Jiraiya felt fear creep into his thoughts. No. Kakashi wasn't loyal to the village. He was loyal to the Hokage. Thinking back to all those times where Sakumo had dealt with all the shaming which lead to his suicide, and then a tiny small Kakashi finding his own father's body and then having to deal with even more insults, Jiraiya knew that Kakashi still hated the village, albeit if it only was a little bit.

He only stayed because of the Hokage. Lord Fourth, his sensei. Jiraiya remembers the blond man begging the Sannin to tell him how to get Kakashi to stay in Konoha. Kakashi had been thinking about defecting, but Jiraiya and Minato had managed to get him to stay, even if it meant the small thirteen-year-old was to be in ANBU.

Lord Third, once the Yondaime passed. Hiruzen had been smart enough to be honest with the ANBU captain, which lead to Kakashi being his right-handed man, even after Kakashi deemed himself not fit to be shinobi after realising he had plotted against the Third. Jiraiya could almost see Kakashi leaving the village if not for Hiruzen's faith in the young Hatake.

If Danzo was Lord Fifth...

Jiraiya didn't want to think about what would happen to Konoha's greatest ninja.

◾◽◾◽◾◽

Author's Note

Filler...sorry. BTW, thank you guys so much for reading up to here and for all these views! Man, I feel like I've done a lot, and it hasn't even been like a full month yet! I'm so excited to see where this book goes, so stick around to see how I write what happens next.

Please vote and comment!

~ Magica2007


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